I 


Digitized  by  tine  Internet  Arcliive 
in  2015 


littps://arcliive.org/details/apologyfortruecliOObarc_0 


AN 


APOLOGY 


FOR  THE 


TRUE  CHRISTIAN  DIVINITY 

BEING  AN 

EXPLANATION  AND  VINDICATION 

O  F  T  H  E 

PRINCIPLES  AND  DOCTRINES 

OF  THE  PEOPLE  CALLED 

QUAKERS. 

WRITTEN  IN  LATIN  AND^><*GLISH 

BY   ROBERT  BARCLAY. 


Acta  xiiv.  M :  After  the  way  which  they  call  heresy,  so  worship  I  the  God  of  my  fattiert 
oelieving  all  thing;s  which  are  written  in  the  law  and  the  prophets. 

Titus  ii.  1 1, 12,  13,  14  :  For  the  grace  of  God,  that  bringreth  salvation,  hath  apptrared  Ut 
»U  men,  teaching  us,  that  denying  ungodliness  and  worldly  lust*,  we  should  live  soberly, 
righteously,  and  godly,  m  this  pre^ient  world ;  looking  for  that  blessed  hope,  and  the 
^-.jrious  appearing  of  the  great  God  and  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ;  who  gave  liuuseU 
fur  us,  that  he  nught  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity,  and  purify  unto  himself  a^j^^ 
people,  zealouv  of  good  works. 

I  riies.  T  21    Prove  all  things,  hold  fast  that  wluch  is  goud. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

FRIENDS'  BOOK-STORE, 

304  ARCH  STREET. 


OCT  7  1988 


TO 


CHARLES  II. 

KING  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 

AND 

THE  DOMINIONS  THEREUNTO  BELONGING; 

Robert  Barclay,  a  servant  of  Jesus  Christ,  called  of  God  to  tne  Dis 
pensation  of  the  Gospel,  now  again  revealed,  and,  after  a  long  and  darlv 
night  of  apostasy,  commanded  to  be  preached  to  all  nations,  wishetli 
health  and  salvation. 

As  the  condition  of  kings  and  princes  puts  them  in  a  station  more  obvious 
to  tlie  view  and  observation  of  the  world,  than  that  of  other  men,  of  whom, 
as  Cicero  observes,  neitlier  any  word  or  action  can  be  obscure;  so  are 
those  kings,  during  wliose  appearance  upon  the  stage  of  this  world  ii 
pleaseth  the  Great  King  of  kings  singularly  to  make  known  unto  men 
the  wonderful  steps  of  his  unsearchable  providence,  more  signally  observed, 
and  their  lives  and  actions  more  diligently  remarked,  and  enquired  into  by 
posterity;  especially  if  those  things  be  such  as  not  only  relate  to  the  out- 
ward transactions  of  this  world,  but  also  are  signalized  by  the  manifestation 
or  revelation  of  the  knowledge  of  God  in  matters  spiritual  and  religious. 
These  are  the  things  that  rendered  the  lives  of  Cyrus,  Augustus  Caesar, 
and  Constantine  the  Great  in  former  times,  and  of  Charles  the  Fifth,  anil 
some  other  modern  princes  in  these  last  ages,  so  considerable. 

But  among  all  the  transactions  which  it  hath  pleased  God  to  permit,  foi 
the  glory  of  his  power,  and  the  manifestation  of  his  wisdom  and  provi- 
dence, no  age  furnisheth  us  with  things  so  strange  and  marvellous,  whethc; 
vvith  respect  to  matters  civil  or  religious,  as  these  that  have  fallen  mr 
within  llie  compass  of  thy  time ;  who,  though  thou  be  not  yet  arrived  a' 
the  fiftieth  year  of  thy  age,  hast  yet  been  a  witness  of  stranger  things  than 
many  ages  before  produced.  So  that  whether  we  respect  those  variou- 
troubles  wherein  tiiou  foundcst  thyself  engaged  while  scarce  got  out  of  th' 

(3^ 


TO  THE  KING. 


infancy  •,  the  many  different  afflictions  wherewith  men  of  thy  circumstances 
are  often  unacquainted ;  the  strange  and  unparalleled  fortune  that  befel  thy 
father;  thy  own  narrow  escape,  and  banishment  following  thereupon,  with 
tlie  great  improbability  of  tliy  ever  returning,  at  least  witliout  very  much 
pains  and  tedious  combatings ;  or  finally,  the  incapacity  thou  wert  under  to 
accomplish  such  a  design ;  considering  the  strength  of  those  that  had  pos- 
sessed themselves  of  thy  tlirone,  and  the  terror  they  had  inflicted  upon 
foreign  states ;  and  yet  that,  after  all  this,  thou  shouldest  be  restored  with- 
out stroke  of  sword,  the  help  or  assistance  of  foreign  states,  or  the  con- 
trivance and  work  of  human  policy ;  all  these  do  sufficiently  declare  that 
it  is  the  Lord's  doing ;  which,  as  it  is  marvellous  in  our  eyes,  so  it  will 
be  justly  a  matter  of  wonder  and  astonishment  to  generations  to  come ; 
and  may  sufficiently  serve,  if  rightly  observed,  to  confute  and  confound  that 
atheism  wherewith  this  age  doth  so  much  abound. 

As  the  vindication  of  the  liberty  of  conscience  (which  thy  father,  by 
giving  way  to  the  importimate  clamours  of  the  clergy,  the  answering  and 
fiilfilling  of  whose  unrighteous  wills  has  often  proved  hurtful  and  pernicious 
to  princes,  sought  in  some  part  to  restrain)  was  a  great  occasion  of  those 
troubles  and  revolutions ;  so  the  pretence  of  conscience  was  that  which 
carried  it  on,  and  brought  it  to  that  pitch  it  came  to.  And  though  no  doubt 
some  that  were  engaged  in  that  work  designed  good  things,  at  least  in  the 
beginning,  albeit  always  wrong  in  the  manner  they  took  to  accomplish  it, 
viz.  by  carnal  weapons ;  yet  so  soon  as  they  had  tasted  the  sweets  of  the 
possessions  of  them  they  had  turned  out,  they  quickly  began  to  do  those 
things  themselves  for  wliich  they  had  accused  others.  For  their  iiands 
were  found  full  of  oppression,  and  "they  hated  the  reproofs  of  instruction, 
which  are  the  way  of  life;"  and  they  evilly  intreated  the  messengers  of  the 
Lord,  and  caused  his  prophets  to  be  beaten  and  imprisoned,  and  persecuted 
his  people,  whom  he  had  called  and  gathered  out  from  among  them,  whom 
he  had  made  to  beat  their  "  swords  into  plough-shares,  and  their  spears 
into  pruning-hooks,"  and  not  to  learn  carnal  war  any  more :  but  he 
raised  them  up,  and  armed  them  with  spiritual  weapons,  even  with  his  own 
Spirit  and  power,  whereby  tliey  testified  in  tiie  streets  and  liighways,  and 
public  markets  and  synagogues,  against  the  pride,  vanity,  lusts,  and  hypo- 
crisy of  that  generation,  who  were  righteous  in  their  own  eyes;  though 
often  cruelly  intreated  therefor :  and  they  faithfully  prophesied  and  fore- 
told them  of  tiieir  judgment  and  downfall,  which  came  upon  them,  as  by 
eevcnd  warnings  and  epistles  delivered  to  Oliver  and  Richard  Cromwell, 
the  parliament,  and  other  then  powers,  yet  upon  record,  doth  appear. 


TO  THE  KING. 


And  after  it  [ileascd  God  to  restore  thee,  what  oppressions,  «hat  banish- 
ments, and  evil  intieatiiigs  tiiey  liave  met  with,  by  men  pretending  thy 
authority,  and  cloaking  their  mischief  with  thy  name,  is  known  to  most 
msn  ill  this  island;  especially  in  England,  where  there  is  scarce  a  prison 
that  hatii  not  been  filled  with  them,  nor  a  judge  before  whom  they  have 
not  been  haled ;  though  they  could  never  yet  be  found  guilty  of  any  thing 
that  might  deserve  that  usage.  Therefore  the  sense  of  their  iunocency  did 
no  doubt  greatly  contribute  to  move  thee,  three  years  ago,  to  cause  some 
hundreds  of  them  to  be  set  at  liberty  :  for  indeed  their  sufferings  are  singu- 
lar, and  obviously  distinguishable  from  all  the  rest  of  sucli  as  live  undei 
thee  in  these  two  respects. 

First :  hi  that  among  all  the  plots  contrived  by  others  against  thee  sinct 
thy  return  into  Britain,  there  was  never  any,  owned  of  that  people,  found 
or  known  to  be  guilty,  though  many  of  them  have  been  taken  and  im- 
prisoned upon  such  kind  of  jealousies,  but  were  always  found  innocent  and 
hannless,  as  became  the  followers  of  Christ ;  not  coveting  after,  nor  con- 
tending for,  the  kingdoms  of  this  world,  but  "  subject  to  every  ordinance 
of  man,  for  conscience  sake." 

Secondly :  In  that  in  the  hottest  times  of  persecution,  and  the  most 
violent  prosecution  of  those  laws  made  against  meetings,  being  clothed 
with  iunocency,  they  have  boldly  stood  to  their  testimony  for  God,  with- 
out creeping  into  holes  or  corners,  or  once  hiding  themselves,  as  all  other 
Dissenters  have  done ;  but  daily  met,  according  to  their  custom,  in  the 
public  places  appointed  for  that  end ;  so  that  none  of  thy  officers  can  say 
of  them,  that  they  have  surprised  them  in  a  corner,  overtaken  them  in  a 
private  conventicle,  or  catched  them  lurking  in  their  secret  chambers ;  nor 
needed  they  to  send  out  spies  to  get  them,  whom  they  were  sine  daily  to 
find  in  their  open  assemblies,  testifying  for  God  and  his  truth. 

By  which  those  who  have  an  eye  to  see,  may  observe  their  Christian 
patience  and  courage,  constancy  and  suffering  joined  in  one,  more  than  in 
any  other  people  that  differ  from  them,  or  oppose  theni.  And  yet,  in  the 
midst  of  those  troubles,  thou  canst  bear  witness,  that  as  on  the  one  part, 
they  never  sought  to  detract  from  thee,  or  to  render  thee  and  thy  govern- 
ment odious  to  the  i)eople,  by  nameless  and  scandalous  pamphlets  and 
libels;  so  on  the  other  hand,  they  have  not  spared  to  admonish,  exhort, 
and  reprove  thee ;  and  have  faithfully  discharged  their  consciences  towards 
thee,  without  flattering  woi  Is,  as  ever  the  true  prophets  in  ancient  times 
used  to  do  to  those  kings  and  princes,  under  whose  power,  violence  and 
oppression  was  acted. 
1  * 


TO  THE  KING. 


And  althongli  it  is  f  vidoiit  by  experience,  to  l)e  most  agreeable  both  Ir 
•liviue  truth  and  hiiman  policy,  to  allow  every  one  to  serve  God  according 
lo  their  consciences,  nevertheless  those  other  sects,  who  for  the  most  part 
Jiirst  not  peep  out  in  the  times  of  persecution,  while  these  innocent  people 
4ood  bold  and  faithful,  do  now  combine  in  a  joint  confederacy,  notwith- 
standing all  the  former  janglings  and  contentions  among  themselves,  to 
render  us  odious ;  seeking  unjustly  to  wrest  our  doctrine  and  words,  as 
if  they  were  inconsistent  both  with  Christianity  and  civil  society :  »o  that 
to  effectuate  this  their  work  of  malice  against  us,  they  have  not  been 
ashamed  to  take  the  help,  and  commend  the  labours,  of  some  invidious 
Socinians  against  us.  So  do  Herod  and  Pontius  Pilate  agree  to  crucify 
Christ. 

But  our  practice,  known  to  thee  by  good  experience  to  be  more  con- 
sistent with  Christianity  and  civil  society,  and  the  peace  and  welfare  of 
this  island,  than  that  of  those  who  thus  accuse  us,  doth  sufficiently  guard 
us  against  this  calumny ;  and  we  may  indeed  appeal  to  the  testimony  of 
ihy  conscience,  as  a  witness  for  us  in  the  face  of  the  nations. 

These  tilings  moved  me  to  present  the  world  with  a  brief,  but  true 
account  of  this  people's  principles,  in  some  short  theological  propositions ; 
which,  according  to  the  will  of  God,  proving  successful  beyond  my  ex- 
pectation, to  the  satisfaction  of  several,  and  to  the  exciting  in  many  a  desire 
of  being  farther  informed  concerning  us,  as  being  every  where  evil  spoken 
of;  and  likewise  meeting  with  public  opposition  by  some,  as  such  will 
always  do,  so  long  as  the  devil  rules  in  the  children  of  disobedience;  I 
was  thereby  farther  engaged,  in  the  liberty  of  the  Lord,  to  present  to  the 
world  this  apology  of  the  truth  held  by  those  people :  which,  because  of 
ihy  interest  in  them,  and  theirs  in  thee,  as  having  first  appeared,  and  mostly 
increased,  in  these  nations  under  thy  rule,  I  make  bold  to  present  unto 
thee. 

Thou  knowest,  and  hast  experienced  their  faithfulness  towards  their 
God,  their  patience  in  suffering,  their  peaceableness  towards  the  king,  their 
lionesty,  plainness  and  integrity  in  their  faithful  warnings  and  testimonies 
lo  thee ;  and  if  thou  wilt  allow  thyself  so  much  time  as  to  read  this,  thou 
mayest  find  how  consonant  their  principles  are  both  to  scripture,  truth,  and 
•ight  reason.  The  simplicity  of  their  behaviour,  the  generality  of  their 
condition,  as  being  poor  men  and  illiterate ;  the  manner  of  their  procedure, 
l)ciug  witliout  the  wisdom  and  policy  of  this  world;  hath  made  many  con- 
clude ill  em  fools  and  madmen,  and  neglect  them,  as  not  being  capable  of 
-eason.    But  though  it  be  to  them  as  their  crown,  thus  to  be  esteemed  of 


TO  THE  KING. 


Til 


the  wise,  the  great,  and  learned  of  this  world,  and  though  they  rejoice  to 
be  accounted  fools  for  Christ's  sake ;  yet  of  late  some,  even  such  who  in 
the  world's  account  are  esteemed  both  wise  and  learned,  begin  to  judge 
otherwise  of  them,  and  find  that  they  hold  forth  things  very  agreeable  both 
o  scripture,  reason,  and  true  learning. 

As  it  is  inconsistent  with  the  truth  I  bear,  so  it  is  far  from  me  to  use  this 
epistle  as  an  engine  to  flatter  thee,  the  usual  design  of  such  works;  and 
tlieiefore  I  can  neither  dedicate  it  to  thee,  nor  crave  thy  patronage,  as  if 
thereby  I  might  have  more  confidence  to  present  it  to  the  world,  or  be 
more  hopeful  of  its  success.  To  God  alone  I  owe  what  I  have,  and  that 
more  immediately  in  matters  spiritual ;  and  therefore  to  him  alone,  and  to 
the  service  of  his  truth,  I  dedicate  whatever  work  he  brings  forth  in  me; 
to  whom  only  the  praise  and  honour  appertain,  whose  truth  needs  not  the 
patronage  of  worldly  princes ;  his  arm  and  power  being  that  alone  by 
which  it  is  propagated,  established,  and  confirmed.  But  I  found  it  upon 
my  spirit  to  take  occasion  to  present  this  book  unto  thee ;  that  as  thou 
hast  been  often  warned  by  several  of  that  people,  who  are  inhabitants  of 
England;  so  thou  may'st  not  want  a  seasonable  advertisement  from  a 
member  of  thy  ancient  kingdom  of  Scotland ;  and  that  thou  may'st  know 
which  I  hope  thou  wilt  have  no  reason  to  be  troubled  at,  that  God  is  rais- 
ing up  and  increasing  that  people  in  this  nation.  And  the  nations  shall 
also  hereby  know,  that  the  truth  we  profess  is  not  a  work  of  darkness, 
nor  propagated  by  stealth ;  and  tliat  we  are  not  ashamed  of  the  "  gospel 
of  Christ,"  because  we  know  it  to  be  "  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation;" 
and  that  we  are  no  ways  so  inconsistent  with  government,  nor  such  dis- 
turbers of  the  peace,  as  our  enemies,  by  traducing  us,  liave  sought  to  make 
the  world  believe  we  are :  for  which  to  thee  I  dare  appeal,  as  a  witness  of 
our  peaceableness  and  Christian  patience. 

Generations  to  come  shall  not  more  admire  that  singular  step  of  Divine 
Providence,  in  restoring  thee  to  thy  throne,  without  outward  bloodshed, 
than  they  shall  admire  the  increase  and  progress  of  this  truth,  without  all 
outward  help,  and  against  so  great  opposition ;  which  siiall  be  none  t  f  the 
least  things  rendering  thy  memory  remarkable.  God  liatli  done  great 
things  for  thee;  he  hath  sufficiently  shown  thee,  that  it  is  by  him  piinces 
rule,  and  that  he  can  pull  down  and  set  up  at  his  pleasure.  He  hath  often 
faithfully  warned  thee  by  his  servants,  since  he  restored  thee  to  thy  royal 
dignity,  that  thy  heart  might  not  wax  wanton  against  him,  to  forget  his 
mercies  and  piovidences  towards  thee;  whereby  he  might  permit  thee  to 
Sc  soothed  up,  and  lidled  asleep  in  thy  sins,  by  the  flattering  of  court- 
paiasites,  who,  by  their  fawning,  are  the  ruin  of  many  princes. 


viii 


TO  THE  KING. 


There  is  no  king  in  the  work),  who  can  so  experimentally  testify  of 
God's  providence  and  goodness;  neither  is  there  any  who  rules  so  many 
free  people,  so  many  true  Christians  :  which  thing  renders  thy  government 
more  honourable,  thyself  more  considerable,  than  the  accession  of  many 
nations,  filled  with  slavish  and  superstitious  souls. 

Thou  hast  tasted  of  prosperity  and  adversity ;  thou  knowest  what  it  is 
to  be  banished  thy  native  country,  to  be  over-ruled,  as  well  as  to  rule,  and 
■311  upon  the  ihrone ;  and  being  oppressed,  thou  hast  reason  to  know  how 
hateful  the  oppressor  is  both  to  God  and  man :  if  after  all  these  warnings 
and  advertisements,  thou  dost  not  turn  unto  the  Lord  with  all  thy  heart, 
but  forget  him,  who  remembered  thee  in  thy  distress,  and  give  up  thyself 
to  follow  lust  and  vanilj-;  surely  great  will  be  thy  condemnation. 

Against  which  snare,  as  well  as  the  temptation  of  those  that  may  or  do 
feed  thee,  and  prompt  thee  to  evil,  the  most  excellent  and  prevalent  remedy 
will  be,  to  apply  thyself  to  that  Light  of  Christ,  which  shineth  in  thy  con- 
science, which  neither  can,  nor  will  flatter  thee,  nor  sufl^r  thee  to  be  at 
ease  in  thy  sins;  but  doth  and  will  deal  plainly  and  faithfully  with  thee, 
as  those  that  are  followers  thereof  have  also  done. 

God  Almighty,  who  hath  so  signally  hitherto  visited  thee  with  his  love,  so 
touch  and  reach  thy  heart,  ere  tlie  day  of  thy  visitation  be  expired,  that 
thou  mayest  effectually  turn  to  him,  so  as  to  improve  thy  place  and 
station  for  his  name.    So  wisheth,  so  prayeth, 

Thy  faithful  friend  and  subject, 

ROBERT  BARCLAY. 

From  Ury,  the  place  of  my  pil- 
grimage, in  my  native  country 
of  Scotland,  ilie  25ih  of  the 
month  called  November,  in  the 
y<!ar  MDCLXXV. 


R.  B.  Unto  the  Friendly  Reader  wisheth  Salvatian. 

Forasmuch  as  that,  whicli  above  all  things  I  propose  to  myself,  is 
to  declare  and  defend  the  truth,  for  the  service  whereof  I  have  given 
lip  and  devoted  myself,  and  all  that  is  mine  ;  therefore  there  is  no- 
thing which  for  its  sake,  by  the  help  and  assistance  of  God,  I  may 
not  attempt.  And  in  this  confidence,  I  did  some  time  ago  publish 
certain  propositions  of  divinity,  comprehending  briefly  the  chief  prin- 
ciples and  doctrines  of  truth ;  which  appearing  not  unprofitable  to 
some,  and  being  beyond  my  expectation  well  received  by  many, 
though  also  opposed  by  some  envious  ones,  did  so  far  prevail,  as  in 
some  part  to  remove  that  false  and  monstrous  opinion,  which  lying 
fame,  and  the  malice  of  our  adversaries,  had  implanted  in  the  minds 
of  some,  concerning  us  and  our  doctrines. 

»'o  this  respect  it  seemed  to  me  not  fit  to  spare  my  pains  and 
Ial>v\r ;  and,  therefore,  being  actuated  by  the  same  Divine  Spirit,  and 
thv  f  ke  intention  of  propagating  the  truth,  by  which  I  published  the 
pio^\.  sitions  themselves,  I  judged  it  meet  to  explain  them  somewhat 
more  largely  at  this  time,  and  defend  them  by  certain  arguments. 

Pe,  haps  my  method  of  writing  may  seem  not  only  different,  but 
even  contrary,  to  that  which  is  commonly  used  by  the  men  called 
divin<!S,  with  which  I  am  not  concerned  :  inasmuch  as  I  confess  my- 
self to  be  not  only  no  imitator  and  admirer  of  the  schoolmen,  but  an 
opposcr  and  despiser  of  them  as  such,  by  whose  labour  I  ji.dge  tin 
Christian  religion  to  be  so  far  from  being  bettered,  that  it  is  ratho. 
destroyed.  Neither  have  I  sought  to  accommodate  this  my  work  to 
itching  ears,  who  desire  rather  to  comprehend  in  their  heads  the 
sublime  notions  of  truth,  than  to  embrace  it  in  their  hearts :  for  what 
I  have  written  comes  more  from  my  heart  than  from  my  head  ;  what 
'  have  heard  with  the  ears  of  my  soul,  and  seen  with  my  inward  eyes, 


10  TO  THE  FRIKNDLY  RF.ADER. 

and  my  hands  have  handled  of  the  Word  of  Life,  and  what  hath  been 
inwardly  manifested  to  me  of  the  things  of  God,  that  do  I  declare  , 
not  so  much  regarding  the  eloquence  and  excellency  of  speech,  as 
desiring  to  demonstrate  the  efficacy  and  operation  of  truth  ;  and  if  I 
en  sometimes  in  the  former,  it  is  no  great  matter;  for  I  act  not  here 
tlie  grammarian,  or  the  orator,  but  the  Christian  ;  and  therefore  in 
this  I  have  followed  the  certain  rule  of  the  Divine  Light,  and  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures. 

And,  to  make  an  end  ;  what  I  have  written,  is  written  not  to  feed 
the  wisdom  and  knowledge,  or  rather,  vain  pride  of  this  world,  but  to 
starve  and  oppose  it,  as  the  little  preface  prefixed  to  the  propositions 
doth  show  ;  which,  with  the  title  of  them,  is  as  followeth. 


THESES  THEOLOGIC^. 


TO 

THE  CLERGY, 

OF  WHAT  SORT  SOEVER, 

ONTO  WHOSE  HANDS  THESE  MAY  COMEj 

BUT  MORE  PARTICULARLY 

To  (he  Doctors,  Professors,  and  Students  of  Divinity  in  the  Unt- 
versities  and  Schools  of  Great  Britain,  whether  Prelatical,  Pres- 
byterian, or  any  other  ; 

Robert  Barclay,  a  Servant  of  the  Lord  God,  and  one  of  those 
who  In  derision  are  called  Quakers,  wisheth  unfeigned  repentance, 
unto  the  acknowledgment  of  the  Truth. 

Friends, 

Unto  you  these  following  propositions  are  offered ;  in  which,  they 
being  read  and  considered  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  you  may  perceive 
that  simple,  naked  truth,  which  man  by  his  wisdom  hath  rendered  so 
obscure  and  mysterious,  that  the  world  is  even  burthened  with  the 
great  and  voluminous  tractates  which  are  made  about  it,  and  by  their 
vain  jangling  and  commentaries,  by  which  it  is  rendered  a  hundred- 
'old  more  dark  and  intricate  than  of  itself  it  is:  which  great  learning, 
so  accounted  of — to  wit,  your  school  divinity,  which  taketh  u[)  almost 
a  man's  whole  life-time  to  learn,  brings  not  a  whit  nearer  to  God, 
neither  makes  any  man  less  wicked,  or  more  righteous  than  he  was. 
Therefore  hath  God  laid  aside  the  wise  and  learned,  and  the  disputer» 
of  this  world  ;  and  hath  chosen  a  few  despicable  and  unlearned  ii. 

(11) 


.  12  THESES  THEOLOGICJE. 

struments,  as  to  letter-learning,  as  he  did  fishermen  of  old,  to  pub 
lish  his  pure  and  naked  truth,  and  to  free  it  of  those  mists  and  fofijs 
wherewith  the  clergy  hath  clouded  it,  that  the  people  might  admire 
and  maintain  them.  And  among  several  others,  whom  God  hath 
chosen  to  make  known  these  things — seeing  I  also  have  received,  in 
measure,  grace  to  be  a  dispenser  of  the  same  Gospel — it  seemed  good 
unto  me,  according  to  my  duty,  to  ofTer  unto  you  these  propositions  ; 
which,  though  short,  yet  are  weighty,  comprehending  much,  and  de- 
claring what  the  true  ground  of  knowledge  is,  even  of  that  know- 
ledge which  leads  to  Life  Eternal ;  which  is  here  witnessed  of,  and 
the  testimony  thereof  left  unto  the  Light  of  Christ  in  all  your  con- 
■ciences.  Farewell, 

R.  B. 


THESKS  TUF.OLOGICJE. 


13 


THE  FIRSr  PROPOSITION. 

Concerning  the  true  Foundation  of  Knowledge. 

Seeing  the  height  of  all  happiness  is  placed  in  the  true 
Knowledge  of  God,  ("This  is  life  eternal,  to  know  thee  John xtu. 
the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ  whom  thou  hast  sent,")  ^' 
the  true  and  right  understanding  of  this  foundation  and 
ground  of  knowledge,  is  that  which  is  most  necessary  to  be 
known  and  believed  in  the  first  place. 

THE  SECOND  PROPOSITION. 

Concerning  Immediate  Revelation. 

Seeing  '<  no  man  knoweth  the  Father  but  the  Son,  and  Mat.  xLn 
ne  to  whom  the  Son  revealeth  him  ;"  and  seeing  the  reve- 
lation of  the  Son  is  in  and  by  the  Spirit ;  therefore  the  tes- 
timony of  the  Spirit  is  that  alone  by  which  the  true  know- 
ledge of  God  hath  been,  is,  and  can  be  only  revealed  ; 
who  as,  by  the  moving  of  his  own  Spirit,  he  converted  the 
chaos  of  this  world  into  that  wonderful  order  wherein  it 
was  in  the  beginning,  and  created  man  a  living  soul,  to 
rule  and  govern  it,  so  by  the  revelation  of  the  same  Spirit 
he  hath  manifested  himself  all  along  unto  the  sons  of  men, 
both  patriarchs,  prophets,  and  apostles ;  which  revelations 
of  God  by  the  Spirit,  whether  by  outward  voices  and  ap- 
pearances, dreams,  or  inward  objective  manifestations  in 
the  heart,  were  of  old  the  formal  object  of  their  faith,  and 
remain  yet  so  to  be ;  since  the  object  of  the  saints'  faith  is 
the  same  in  all  ages,  though  set  forth  under  divers  admi- 
nistrations. Moreover,  these  divine  inward  revelations, 
which  we  make  absolutely  necessary  for  the  building  up 
of  true  faith,  neither  do  nor  can  ever  contradict  the  outward 
testimony  of  the  scriptures,  or  right  and  sound  reason. 
Yet  from  hence  it  will  not  follow,  that  these  divine  revela- 
tions are  to  be  subjected  to  the  examination,  either  of  the 
outward  testimony  of  the  scriptures,  or  of  the  natural  reason 
of  man,  as  to  a  moie  noble  or  certain  rule  or  fnuchstone  : 
2 


THESES  THEOLOGICjB. 


for  this  divine  revelation  and  inward  illumination,  is  that 
which  is  evident  and  clear  of  itself,  forcing,  by  its  own 
evidence  and  clearness,  the  well-disposed  understanding 
to  assent,  irresistibly  moving  the  same  thereunto ;  even  as 
the  common  principles  of  natural  truths  move  and  incline 
the  mind  to  a  natural  assent :  as,  that  the  whole  is  greater 
than  its  part ;  that  two  contradictory  sayings  cannot  be 
both  true,  nor  both  false  :  which  is  also  manifest,  according 
to  our  adversaries'  principle,  who — supposing  the  possibility 
of  inward  divine  revelations  —  will  nevertheless  confess 
with  us,  that  neither  scripture  nor  sound  reason  will  con- 
tradict it:  and  yet  it  will  not  follow,  according  to  them 
that  the  scripture,  or  sound  reason,  should  be  subjected  t« 
the  examination  of  the  divine  revelations  in  the  heart. 

THE  THIRD  PROPOSITION. 

Concerning  the  Scriptures. 

From  these  revelations  of  the  Spirit  of  God  to  the  saints, 
have  proceeded  the  scriptures  of  truth,  which  contain, 
1,  A  faithful  historical  account  of  the  actings  of  God's 
people  in  divers  ages,  with  many  singular  and  remarkable 
providences  attending  them.  2.  A  prophetical  account  of 
several  things,  whereof  some  are  already  past,  and  some 
yet  to  coine.  3.  A  full  and  ample  account  of  all  the  chief 
principles  of  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  held  forth  in  divers 
precious  declarations,  exhortations,  and  sentences,  which, 
by  the  moving  of  God's  spirit,  were  at  several  times,  and 
upon  sundry  occasions,  spoken  and  written  unto  some 
churches  and  their  pastors  :  nevertheless,  because  they  are 
only  a  declaration  of  the  fountain,  and  not  the  fountain 
itself,  therefore  they  are  not  to  be  esteemed  the  principal 
ground  of  all  truth  and  knowledge,  nor  yet  the  adequate 
primary  rule  of  faith  and  manners.  Nevertheless,  as  thai 
which  giveth  a  true  and  faithful  testimony  of  the  first  founda- 
tion, they  are  and  may  be  esteemed  a  secondary  rule,  sub- 
ordinate to  the  Spirit,  from  which  they  have  all  their  ex 


.nl:.SES  THEOLOGICA:. 


cellency  and  certainty  ;  for  as  by  the  inward  testimony  of 
the  Spirit  we  do  alone  truly  know  them,  so  they  testif), 
that  the  Spirit  is  that  guide  by  which  the  saints  are  led  into  jolm  xvi 
all  truth :  therefore,  according  to  the  scriptures,  the  Spirit  (^^n^  ^,^1 
is  the  first  and  principal  leader.  And  seeing  we  do  there- 
fore  receive  and  believe  the  scriptures,  because  they  pro- 
ceeded from  the  Spirit ;  therefore  also  the  Spirit  is  more 
originf  ly  and  principally  the  rule,  according  to  that  re- 
ceived maxim  in  the  schools.  Propter  quod  unumquodque 
est  tale,  illud  ipsum  est  magis  tale.  Englished  thus  :  '  That 
for  which  a  thing  is  such,  that  thing  itself  is  more  such.' 


THE  FOURTH  PROPOSITION. 

Concerning  the  Condition  of  Man  in  the  Fall. 

All  Adam's  posterity,  or  mankind,  both  Jews  and  Gen-  Rom. ».  18 
tiles,  as  to  the  first  Adam,  or  earthly  man,  is  fallen,  dege- 
nerated, and  dead,  deprived  of  the  sensation  or  feeling  of 
this  inward  testimony  or  seed  of  God,  and  is  subject  unto 
the  power,  nature,  and  seed  of  the  serpent,  which  he  sows 
in  men's  hearts,  while  they  abide  in  this  natural  and  cor- 
rupted state ;  from  whence  it  comes,  that  not  their  words 
and  deeds  only,  but  all  their  imaginations  are  evil  perpetu- 
ally in  the  sight  of  God,  as  proceeding  from  this  depraved 
and  wicked  seed.  Man,  therefore,  as  he  is  in  this  state, 
can  know  nothing  aright ;  yea,  his  thoughts  and  concep- 
tions concerning  God  and  things  spiritual,  until  he  be  dis- 
joined from  this  evil  seed,  and  united  to  the  divine  light, 
are  unprofitable  both  to  himself  and  others :  hence  are  re- 
jected the  Socinian  and  Pelagian  errors,  in  exalting  a  na- 
tural light ;  as  also  of  the  Papists,  and  most  Protestants, 
who  affirm,  That  man,  without  the  true  grace  of  God,  may 
be  a  true  minister  of  the  gospel.  Nevertheless,  this  seed 
is  not  imputed  to  infants,  until  by  transgression  they  actu- 
ally join  themselves  therewith;  for  they  are  by  nature  the  Eph.  ii.  a 
children  of  wrath,  who  walk  according  to  the  power  of  the 
prince  of  the  air. 


16 


THESES  THEOLOGICJE. 


THE  FIFTH  AND  SIXTH  PROPOSITIONS. 

Concerning  the  Universal  Redemption  by  Christ,  and  also 
the  Saving  and  Spiritual  Light,  wherewith  every  man  is 
enlightened. 


THE  FIFTH  PROPOSITION. 

£zck.  xviii.     God,  out  of  his  infinite  love,  who  delighttth  not  in  the 

[gg'jjiijj  6  death  of  a  sinner,  but  that  all  should  live  and  be  saved, 

Johniii.  16.  hath  SO  loved  the  world,  that  he  hath  £>iveii  his  only  Son  a 
«t  1.  9.      ,.  .  .  . 

Tit.  ii.  11.  light,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  be  saved; 

Heb.  ii.  9^  "^^^  enlighteneth  every  noan  that  cometh  into  the  world, 
and  maketh  manifest  all  things  that  are  reproveable,  and 
teacheth  all  temperance,  righteousness,  and  godliness  : 
and  this  light  enlighteneth  the  hearts  of  all  in  a  day,*  in 
order  to  salvation,  if  not  resisted :  nor  is  it  less  universal 
than  the  seed  of  sin,  being  the  purchase  of  his  death,  who 

I  Cor.  XV.  tasted  death  for  every  man  ;  "  for  as  in  Adam  all  die,  even 
so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive." 


THE  SIXTH  PROPOSITION. 

According  to  which  principle  (or  hypothesis),  all  the 
objections  against  the  universality  of  Christ's  death  are 
easily  solved ;  neither  is  it  needful  to  recur  to  the  ministry 
of  angels,  and  those  other  miraculous  means,  which,  they 
say,  God  makes  use  of,  to  manifest  the  doctrine  and  history 
of  Christ's  passion  unto  such,  who,  living  in  those  placef 
of  the  world  where  the  outward  preaching  of  the  gospel  is 
unknown,  have  well  improved  the  first  and  common  grace  ; 
for  hence  it  well  follows,  that  as  some  of  the  old  philoso- 
phers might  have  been  saved,  so  also  may  now  some-  -  who 
by  providence  are  cast  into  those  remote  parts  of  t.'ie  ">'orld, 
•where  the  knowledge  of  the  history  is  wanting  -  be  made 
partakers  of  the  divine  mystery,  if  they  receiv«»  tnd  resist 


*  Pro  tempore  :  for  a  time. 


THE.Sl!:S  THEOLOGICJE. 


not  that  grace,  "  a  manifestation  whereof  is  given  to  every  iCor.  lii  T 
man  to  profit  withal."  This  certain  doctrine  then  being 
received,  to  wit :  that  there  is  an  evangelical  and  saving 
light  and  grace  in  all,  the  universality  of  the  love  and 
mercy  of  God  towards  mankind — both  in  the  death  of  his 
beloved  Son,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  in  the  manifesta- 
tion of  the  liglit  in  the  heart — is  established  and  confirmed 
against  all  the  objections  of  such  as  deny  it.  Therefore 
"  Christ  hath  tasted  death  for  every  man  :"  not  only  for  all  Ileb.  :..  » 
kinds  of  men,  as  some  vainly  talk,  but  for  every  one,  of 
all  kinds ;  the  benefit  of  whose  oflfering  is  not  only  ex- 
tended to  such,  who  have  the  distinct  outward  knowledge 
of  his  death  and  sutferings,  as  the  same  is  declared  in  the 
scriptures,  but  even  unto  those  who  are  necessarily  ex- 
cluded from  the  benefit  of  this  knowledge  by  some  inevi- 
table accident;  which  knowledge  we  willingly  confess  to 
be  very  profitable  and  comfortable,  but  not  absolutely 
needful  unto  such,  from  whom  God  himself  hath  withheld 
it ;  yet  they  may  be  made  partakers  of  the  mystery  of  his 
death — though  ignorant  of  the  history — if  they  suflfer  his 
seed  and  light — enlightening  their  hearts — to  take  place  ; 
in  which  light,  communion  with  the  Father  and  Son  is  en- 
joyed, so  as  of  wicked  men  to  become  holy,  and  lovers 
of  that  power,  by  whose  inward  and  secret  touches  they 
feel  themselves  turned  from  the  evil  to  the  good,  and  learn 
to  do  to  others  as  they  would  be  done  by ;  in  which  Christ 
himself  affirms  all  to  be  included.  As  they  then  have 
falsely  and  erroneously  taught,  who  have  denied  Christ  to 
have  died  for  all  men  ;  so  neither  have  they  sufficiently 
taught  the  truth,  who  affirming  him  to  have  died  for  all, 
have  added  the  absolute  necessity  of  the  outward  know- 
ledge thereof,  in  order  to  the  obtaining  its  saving  eflfect ; 
among  whom  the  Remonstrants  of  Holland  have  been 
chiefly  wanting,  and  many  other  asserters  of  Universal 
Redemption,  in  that  they  have  not  placed  the  extent  of  this 
salvation  in  that  divine  and  evangelical  principle  of  light 
and  life,  wherewith  Christ  hath  enlightened  every  man  that 
comes  into  the  world,  which  is  excellently  and  evidently 

c 


THi:srs  THF-OLOGICJE. 


held  forth  in  thost-  scriptures,  Gen.  vi.  3.  Deut.  xxx.  14 
John  i.  7,  8,  9.  Rom.  x.  8.  Tit.  ii.  11. 


THE  SEVENTH  PROPOSITION. 

Concerning  Justification. 

As  many  as  resist  not  this  light,  but  receive  the  same,  in 
them  IS  produced  an  holy,  pure,  and  spiritual  birth,  bring- 
ing forth  holiness,  righteousness,  purity,  and  all  those  other 
blessed  fruits  which  are  acceptable  to  God  ;  by  which  holy 
birth,  to  wit,  Jesus  Christ,  formed  within  us,  and  working 
his  works  in  us — as  we  are  sanctified,  so  we  are  justified 
in  the  sight  of  God,  according  to  the  apostle's  words. 
Cor.  vi  "But  ye  are  washed,  but  ye  are  sanctified,  but  ye  are  jus- 
tified,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  by  the  Spirit  of 
our  God."  Therefore  it  is  not  by  our  works  wrought  in 
our  will,  nor  yet  by  good  works,  considered  as  of  them- 
selves, but  by  Christ,  who  is  both  the  gift  and  the  giver, 
and  the  cause  producing  the  effects  in  us ;  who,  as  he  hati. 
reconciled  us  while  we  were  enemies,  doth  also  in  his 
wisdom  save  us,  and  justify  us  after  this  manner,  as  saith 
Tit.  iii.  5.  the  same  apostle  elsewhere,  "  According  to  his  mercy  he 
saved  us,  by  the  washing  of  regeneration,  and  the  renew- 
ing of  the  Holy  Ghost." 


THE  EIGHTH  PROPOSITION. 

Concerning  Perfection. 

Rom.yi.  14.  In  whom  this  holy  and  pure  birth  is  fully  brought  forth 
Id.  vi'.'!?,  18.  tilt'  body  of  death  and  sin  comes  to  be  crucified  an  J  re- 
ijyhiiiu.o.  Droved,  and  their  hearts  united  and  subjected  unto  the 
truth,  so  as  not  to  obey  any  suggestion  or  temptation  of 
the  evil  one,  but  to  be  free  from  actual  sinning,  and  trans- 
gressing of  the  law  of  God,  and  in  that  respect  perfect. 
Yet  doth  this  perfection  still  admit  of  a  growth  ;  and  ther*" 
remaineth  a  possibility  of  sinning,  where  the  mind  doth 
not  most  'Jiligently  and  watchfully  attend  unto  the  Lord. 


THESES  THEOLOGICiE. 


19 


THE  NINTH  PROPOSITION. 

Concerning  Perseverance,  and  the  Possibility  of  Falling 
from.  Grace. 

Allliough  this  gift,  and  inward  grace  of  God,  be  suffi- 
cient to  work  out  salvation,  yet  in  those  in  whom  it  is  re 
sisted  it  both  may  and  doth  become  their  condemnation. 
Moreover,  in  whom  it  hath  wrought  in  part,  to  purify  and 
sanctify  them,  in  order  to  their  further  perfection,  by  dis- 
obedience such  may  fall  from  it,  and  turn  it  to  wantonness, 

making:  shipwreck  of  faith  ;  and  "  after  having:  tasted  of  I  Tim.  i  6 

Heb  vi  4 

the  heavenly  gift,  and  been  made  partakers  of  the  Holy  5_  ^'    '  ' 
Ghost,  again  fall  away."    Yet  such  an  increase  and  stabi- 
lity in  the  truth  may  in  this  life  be  attained,  from  which 
there  cannot  be  a  total  apostasy. 

THE  TENTH  PROPOSITION. 
Concerning  the  Ministry. 

As  by  this  gift,  or  light  of  God,  all  true  knowledge  in 
things  spiritual  is  received  and  revealed  ;  so  by  the  same, 
as  it  is  manifested  and  received  in  the  heart,  by  the  strength 
and  power  thereof,  every  true  minister  of  the  gospel  is  or- 
dained, prepared  and  supplied  in  the  work  of  the  ministry: 
and  by  the  leading,  moving,  and  drawing  hereof,  ought 
every  evangelist  and  Christian  pastor  to  be  led  and  ordered 
in  his  labour  and  work  of  the  gospel,  both  as  to  the  place 
where,  as  to  the  persons  to  whom,  and  as  to  the  times  when 
he  is  to  minister.  Moreover,  those  who  have  this  authority 
may  and  ouglit  to  preach  the  gospel,  though  without  human 
commission  or  literature ;  as  on  the  other  hand,  those  who 
want  the  authority  of  this  divine  gift,  however  learned  or 
authorized  by  the  commissions  of  men  and  churches,  are 
to  be  esteemed  but  as  deceivers,  and  not  true  ministers  of 
the  g(/sj)il.  Also,  who  have  received  this  holy  and  un- 
Bpotted  gift,  '<  as  they  have  freely  received,  so  are  they  Mai.  x.  8 


■20 


THESKS  THEOLOGICJS. 


freely  to  give,"  ■without  hire  or  bargaining,  far  less  to  use 
it  as  a  trade  to  get  money  by  it :  yet  if  God  hath  called  any 
from  their  employments,  or  trades,  by  which  they  acquire 
their  liv  elihood,  it  may  be  lawful  for  such,  according  to  the 
liberty  which  they  feel  given  them  in  the  Lord,  to  receive 
such  temporals — to  wit,  what  may  be  needful  to  them  for 
meat  and  clothing — as  are  freely  given  them  by  those  lo 
whom  they  have  communicated  spirituals. 


THE  ELEVENTH  PROPOSITION. 

Concerning  Worship. 

All  true  and  acceptable  worship  to  God  is  offered  in  the 
inward  and  immediate  moving  and  drawing  of  his  own 
Spirit,  which  is  neither  limited  to  places,  times,  or  persons ; 
for  though  we  be  to  worship  him  always,  in  that  we  are  to 
fear  before  him,  yet  as  to  ihe  outward  signification  thereof 
in  prayers,  praises,  or  preachings,  we  ought  not  to  do  it 
■where  and  when  we  will,  but  where  and  when  we  are 
moved  thereunto  by  the  secret  inspirations  of  his  Spirit  in 
our  hearts,  which  God  heareth  and  accepteth  of,  and  is 
never  wanting  to  move  us  thereunto,  when  need  is,  of 
■which  he  himself  is  the  alone  proper  judge.  All  other 
worship  then,  both  praises,  prayers  and  preachings,  which 
man  sets  about  in  his  own  will,  and  at  his  own  appoint- 
ment, which  he  can  both  begin  and  end  at  his  pleasure,  do 
or  leave  undone,  as  himself  sees  meet,  whether  they  be  a 
prescribed  form,  as  a  liturgy,  or  prayers  conceived  extem- 
Ezek.  xiii.  porarily,  by  the  natural  strength  and  faculty  of  the  mind, 
Acts  H.  4^'  l''^y  f^'*^  ^"  but  superstitions,  will- worship,  and  abomina- 
!|^!"-     ,   ble  idolatry  in  the  sight  of  God  ;  which  are  to  be  denied, 

Jolm  111.  6.  •'  1   /.  1  •      I  /•  1  •         •  •  1 

and  iv.  21.  rejected,  and  separated  from,  in  this  day  of  his  spiritual 
Aclr  xvli  arising:  however  it  might  have  pleased  him — who  winked 
^3-  at  the  times  of  ignorance,  wkli  respect  to  the  simplicity 

and  integrity  of  some,  and  of  his  own  innocent  seed,  which 
lay  as  it  were  buried  in  the  hearts  of  men,  under  the  mass 
of  superstition  —  to  blow  upon  the  dead  and  dry  bones, 


THESES  THEOLOGICJi. 


2' 


and  to  raise  some  breathings,  and  answer  them,  and  that 
until  tlie  day  should  more  clearly  dawn  and  break  forth. 

THE  TWELFTH  PROPOSITION. 

Concerning  Baptism. 

As  there  is  one  Lord  and  one  faith,  so  there  is  "  one  Eph.  iv.  5. 
oaptism  ;  which  is  not  the  putting  away  the  filth  of  the  'gi.*'  "' 
tlesh,  but  the  answer  of  a  oood  conscience  before  God,  by  '^"•".-.y'- 

Galiii  27. 

.the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ."    And  this  baptism  is  a  Col.  ii.  12. 
pure  and  spiritual  thing,  to  wit,  the  baptism  of  the  spirit  *'°''"  "'"^'^ 
and  fire,  by  which  we  are  buried  with  him,  that  being 
washed  and  purged  from  our  sins,  we  may  «<  walk  in  new-  l  Cor.  i.  17 
ness  of  life  ;"  of  which  the  baptism  of  John  was  a  figure, 
which  was  commanded  for  a  time,  and  not  to  continue  for 
ever.    As  to  the  baptism  of  infants,  it  is  a  mere  human 
tradition,  for  which  neither  precept  nor  practice  is  to  be 
found  in  all  the  scripture. 


THE  THIRTEENTH  PROPOSITION. 

Concerning  the  Communion,  or  Participation  of  the  Body 
and  Blood  of  Christ, 

The  communion  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  is  in-  i  Cor.  x. 

ward  and  spiritual,  which  is  the  participation  of  his  flesh  Joh'nvi.  32, 

and  blood,  by  which  the  inward  man  is  daily  nourished  in  „ 
.  .  1  Cor.  V.  8. 

the  hearts  of  those  in  whom  Christ  dwells  ;  of  which  things 

the  breaking  of  bread  by  Christ  with  his  disciples  was  a 

figure,  which  they  even  used  in  the  church  for  a  time,  who 

had  received  the  substance,  for  the  cause  of  the  weak  ; 

even  as  "abstaining  from  things  strangled,  and  from  Acts xv. 20 

blof>d  ;"  the  washing  one  another's  feet,  and  the  anointing 

of  the  sick  with  oil ;  all  which  are  commanded  with  no  less  James  v.l4 

authority  and  solemnity  than  the  former;  yet  seeing  they 

are  but  the  shadows  of  better  things,  they  cease  in  such  as 

h?ve  obtained  the  substance. 


19 


THESES  THEOLOGIC^. 


Tit.  iii.  10  ^ 


THE  FOURTEENTH  PROPCSITION. 

Concerning  the  power  of  the  Civil  Magistrate^  in  mattert 
purely  religious,  and  pertaining  to  the  conscience. 

Since  God  hath  assumed  to  himself  the  power  and  do- 
minion of  the  conscience,  who  alone  can  rightly  instruct 
juke  i.e.     and  govern  it,  therefore  it  is  not  lawful  for  any  whatsoever, 
Wat  ^vii.     by  ^"'•t^i'^  of  '^'^y  authority  or  principality  they  bear  in  the 
12.29.^^  government  of  this  world,  to  force  the  consciences  of 
others  ;  and  therefore  all  killing,  banishing,  fining,  im- 
prisoning, and  other  such  things,  which  men  are  afflicted 
with,  for  the  alone  exercise  of  their  conscience,  or  differ- 
ence in  worship  or  opinion,  proceedeth  from  the  spirit  of 
Cain,  the  murderer,  and  is  contrary  to  the  truth  ;  provided 
always,  that  no  man,  under  the  pretence  of  conscience, 
prejudice  his  neighbour  in  his  life  or  estate;  or  do  any 
thing  destructive  to,  or  inconsistent  with  human  society  ; 
in  which  case  the  law  is  for  the  transgressor,  and  justice  to 
be  administered  upon  all,  without  respect  of  persons. 


THE  FIFTEENTH  PROPOSITION. 

Concerning  Salutations  and  Recreations,  SfC. 

5ph.  T.  II.      Seeing  the  cliief  end  of  all  religion  is  to  redeem  man 
Fohu'  v'  44  f'"'"  ^he  spirit  and  vain  conversation  of  this  world,  and  lo 
Aj  "  ^26  ''"'^^         inward  communion  with  God,  before  whom,  if 
Mat.  XV.  13.  we  fear  always,  we  are  accounted  happy  ;  therefore  all  the 
Col.  u.  8.    ^.^^^  customs  and  habits  thereof,  both  in  word  and  deed, 
are  to  be  rejected  and  forsaken  by  those  who  come  to  this 
fear ;  such  as  the  taking  off  the  hat  to  a  man,  the  bowings 
and  cringings  of  the  body,  and  such  other  salutations  of 
that  kind,  widi  all  the  foolish  and  superstitious  formalities 
attending  them  ;  all  which  man  has  invented  in  his  dege- 
nerate state,  to  feed  his  pride  in  the  vain  pomp  and  glory 
of  this  world ;  as  also  the  unprofitable  plays,  fri^  olouh 


THESES  THEOLOGIC^. 


recreations,  sport-ngs  and  gainings,  which  are  invented  to 
pass  away  the  precious  lime,  and  divert  the  mind  from  the 
witness  of  God  in  the  heart,  and  from  the  livmg  sense  of 
his  fear,  and  from  that  evangelical  Spirit  wherewith  Chris- 
tians ought  to  be  leavened,  and  which  leads  into  sobriety, 
gravity,  and  godly  fear ;  in  which,  as  we  abide,  the  bless- 
ing of  the  Lord  is  felt  to  attend  us  in  those  actions  in 
which  we  are  necessarily  engaged,  in  order  to  :he  takinsf 
oare  for  the  sustenance  of  the  outward  man. 


AM 

APOLOGY 

FOB  THK 

TRUE  CHRISTIAN  DIVINITY. 


PROPOSITION  I. 

Concerning  the  true  Foundation  of  Knowledge. 

Seeing  the  height  of  all  happiness  is  placed  in  the  true 

knowledge  of  God  ;  "  This  is  life  eternal,  to  know  thee  John  im 
the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ  whom  thou  hast  ^' 
sent ;"  the  true  and  right  understanding  of  this  founda- 
tion and  ground  of  knowledge  is  that  which  is  most  ne- 
cessary to  be  known  and  believed  in  the  first  place. 

He  that  desireth  to  acquire  any  art  or  science,  seeketh 
first  those  means  by  which  that  art  or  science  is  obtained. 
If  we  ought  to  do  so  in  things  natural  and  e-arthly,  how 
much  more  then  in  spiritual  ?  In  this  affair  then  should 
our  enquiry  be  the  more  diligent,  because  he  that  errs  in 
tlvC  entrance  is  not  so  easily  brought  back  again  into  the 
right  way ;  he  that  misseth  his  road  from  the  beginning  of 
his  journey,  and  is  deceived  in  his  first  marks,  at  his  first 
setting  forth,  the  greater  his  mistake  is,  the  more  difficult 
will  be  his  entrance  into  the  right  way. 

Thus  when  a  man  first  proposeth  to  himself  the  know-  The  way  u 
/edge  of  God,  from  a  sense  of  his  own  unworthincss,  and  I^® 

.  ,  '  knowlenge 

from  the  great  weariness  of  his  mind,  occasioned  by  the  of  P~d. 
secret  checks  of  his  conscience,  and  the  tender,  vet  real 

3  D  '  w 


26 


PROPOSITION  I. 


glances  of  God's  light  upon  his  heart ;  the  earnest  desires  he 
has  to  be  redeemed  from  his  present  trouble,  and  the  fervent 
breathings  he  has  to  be  eased  of  his  disordereJ  passions 
and  lusts,  and  to  find  quietness  and  peace  in  the  certain 
knowledge  of  God,  and  in  tJie  assurance  of  his  love  and 
good-will  towards  him,  make  his  heart  tender,  and  ready 
to  receive  any  impression  ;  and  so — not  having  then  a  dis- 
tinct discerning — through  forwardness  embraceth  any  thing 
that  brings  present  ease.  If,  either  through  the  reverence 
he  bears  to  certain  persons,  or  from  the  secret  inclination 
to  what  doth  comply  with  his  natural  disposition,  he  fall 
upon  any  principles  or  means,  by  which  he  apprehends  he 
may  come  to  know  God,  and  so  doth  centre  himself,  it 
will  be  hard  to  remove  him  thence  again,  how  wrong  so 
ever  they  may  be :  for  the  first  anguish  being  over,  he 
becomes  more  hardy;  and  the  enemy  being  near,  creates 
a  false  peace,  and  a  certain  confidence,  which  is  strength- 
ened by  the  mind's  unwillingness  to  enter  ajjain  into  new 
doubtfulness,  or  the  former  anxiety  of  a  search. 

This  is  sufficiently  verified  in  the  example  of  the  Phari 
J«;»i8hdoc-  sees  and  Jewish  doctors,  who  most  of  all  resisted  Christ, 
Pharisees    disdaining  to  be  esteemed  ignorant ;  for  this  vain  opinion 
Christ       ^^^y  ^^^^^  knowledge  hindered  thern  from  the  true 

knowledge  ;  and  the  mean  people,  who  were  not  so  much 
pre-occupied  with  former  principles,  nor  conceited  of  their 
own  knowledge,  did  easily  believe.  Wherefore  the  Phari- 
John  vii.  sees  upbraid  them,  saying,  "Have  any  of  the  rulers  or 
Pharisees  believed  on  him  ?  But  this  people,  which  know 
not  the  law,  are  accursed."  This  is  also  abundantly  proved 
by  the  experience  of  all  such,  as  being  secretly  touched 
with  the  call  of  God's  grace  unto  them,  do  apply  them- 
selves to  false  teachers,  where  the  remedy  proves  worse 
than  the  disease  ;  because  instead  of  knowing  God,  or  the 
things  relating  to  their  salvation  aright,  they  drink  in  wrong 
opinions  of  him  ;  from  which  it  is  harder  to  be  disentangled, 
than  while  the  soul  remains  a  blank,  or  Tabula  rasa.  For 
they  that  conceit  themselves  wise,  are  worse  to  deal  with 
than  they  that  are  sensible  of  their  ignorance.    Nor  hath 


48,  4f). 


Olt-  THE  TRUE  FOUNDATION  Ob  KNOWLEDGE. 


91 


it  been  less  the  device  of  the  devil,  the  great  enemy  of 
mankind,  to  persuade  men  into  wrong  notions  of  God, 
than  to  keep  them  altogether  from  acknowledging  him ; 
the  latter  taking  with  few,  because  odious ;  but  the  other 
having  been  the  constant  ruin  of  the  world  :  for  there  hath 
scarce  been  a  nation  found,  but  hath  had  some  notions  or 
other  of  religion  ;  so  that  not  from  their  denying  any  Deity, 
but  from  their  mistakes  and  misapprehensions  of  it,  hath 
proceeded  all  the  idolatry  and  superstition  of  the  world  ; 
yea,  hence  even  atheism  itself  hath  proceeded :  for  these 
many  and  various  opinions  of  God  and  religion,  being  so 
much  mixed  with  the  guessings  and  uncertain  judgments 
of  men,  have  begotten  in  many  the  opinion,  That  there  is 
no  God  at  all.  This,  and  much  more  that  might  be  said, 
may  show  how  dangerous  it  is  to  miss  in  this  first  stej) : 
"  All  that  come  not  in  by  the  door,  are  accounted  as 
ihieves  and  robbers." 

Again,  how  needful  and  desirable  that  knowledge  is, 
which  brings  life  eternal,  Epictetus  showelh,  saying  excel-  Epic  ":!* 
lently  well,  cap.  38,  I'Si  oti  to  Ku^iuTafov,  &c.    Know,  that 
the  main  foundation  of  piety  is  this,  To  have  djdas  iffoXrjvj^sig, 
right  opinions  and  apprehensions  of  God. 

This  therefore  I  judged  necessary,  as  a  first  principle,  in 
the  first  place  to  affirm  ;  and  I  suppose  will  not  need  much 
farther  explanation  or  defence,  as  being  generally  acknow- 
ledged by  all — and  in  these  things  that  are  without  contro- 
versy I  love  to  be  brief — as  that  which  will  easily  commend 
itself  to  every  man's  reason  and  conscience  ;  and  therefore 
[  shall  proceed  to  the  next  proposition  ;  which,  though  it 
be  nothing  less  certain,  yet  by  the  malice  of  Satan,  and  the 
ignorance  of  many,  comes  far  more  under  debate. 


28 


PROPOSITION  II. 


PROPOSITION  II. 

Of  Immediate  Revelation. 

Mat.  iL27.  Seeing  <«  no  man  knoweth  the  Father  but  the  Son,  and  he 
to  whom  the  Son  revealeth  him  ;"  and  seeing  the  "  reve- 
lation of  the  Son  is  in  and  by  the  Spirit ;"  therefore  the 
testimony  of  the  Spirit  is  that  alone  by  which  the  true 
knowledge  of  God  hath  been,  is,  and  oan  be  only  re- 
vealed ;  who  as,  by  the  moving  of  his  own  Spirit,  he 
disposed  the  chaos  of  this  world  into  that  wonderful 
order  in  which  it  was  in  the  beginning,  aud  created  man 
a  living  soul,  to  rule  and  govern  it,  so  by  the  revelation 
of  the  same  Spirit  he  hath  manifested  himself  all  along 
unto  the  sons  of  men,  both  patriarchs,  prophets,  and 
apostles ;  which  revelations  of  God  by  the  Spirit,  whe- 
ther by  outward  voices  and  appearances,  dreams,  or  in- 
ward objective  manifestations  in  the  heart,  were  of  old 
the  formal  object  of  their  faith,  and  remain  yet  so  to  be  , 
since  the  object  of  the  saints'  faith  is  the  same  in  all 
ages,  though  held  forth  under  divers  administrations. 
Moreover,  these  divine  inward  revelations,  which  we 
make  absolutely  necessary  for  the  building  up  of  true 
faith,  neither  do  nor  can  ever  contradict  the  outward  tes- 
timony of  the  scriptures,  or  right  and  sound  reason. 
Yet  from  hence  it  will  not  follow,  that  these  divine  reve- 
lations are  to  be  subjected  to  the  test,  either  of  the 
outward  testimony  of  the  scriptures,  or  of  the  natural 
reason  of  man,  as  to  a  more  noble  or  certain  rule  and 
touchstone  ;  for  this  divine  revelation  and  inward  illu- 
mination, is  that  which  is  evident  and  clear  of  itself, 
forcing,  by  its  own  evidence  and  clearness,  the  well-dis- 
posed understanding  to  assent,  irresistibly  moving  the 
same  thereunto,  even  as  the  common  principles  of  na- 
tural truths  flo  move  and  incline  the  mind  to  a  natural 


OF  IMMEDIATE  REVELATION. 


29 


assent :  is,  that  the  whole  is  greater  than  its  pari , 
that  two  contradictories  can  neither  be  both  true,  nor 
both  false. 

§  I.  It  is  very  probable,  that  many  carnal  and  natural  Revelation 
Christians  will  oppose  this  proposition  ;  who  being  wholly  ap'os^ate 
unacquainted  with  the  movings  and  actings  of  God's  Spirit 
ipon  their  hearts,  judge  the  same  nothing  necessary  ;  and 
some  are  apt  to  flout  at  it  as  ridiculous  ;  yea,  to  that  height 
.ire  the  generality  of  Christians  apostatized  and  degenerated, 
that  though  there  be  not  any  thing  more  plainly  asserted, 
more  seriously  recommended,  or  more  certainly  attested,  in 
all  the  writings  of  the  holy  scriptures,  yet  nothing  is  less 
minded  and  more  rejected  by  all  sorts  of  Christians,  than 
immediate  and  divine  revelation  ;  insomuch  that  once  to 
lay  claim  to  it  is  matter  of  reproach.  Whereas  of  old  none 
were  ever  judged  Christians,  but  such  as  had  the  Spirit  of 
Christ,  Rom.  viii.  9,  But  now  many  do  boldly  call  them- 
selves Christians,  who  make  no  difficulty  of  confessing  they 
are  without  it,  and  laugh  at  such  as  say  they  have  it.  Of 
old  they  were  accounted  "  the  sons  of  God,  who  were  led 
by  the  Spirit  of  God,"  ibid.  ver.  14.  But  now  many  aver 
themselves  sons  of  God,  who  know  nothing  of  this  leader; 
and  he  that  affirms  himself  so  led,  is,  by  the  pretended 
orthodox  of  this  age,  presently  proclaimed  an  heretic.  The 
reason  hereof  is  very  manifest,  viz. :  Because  many  in 
these  days,  under  the  name  of  Christians,  do  experiment- 
ally find,  that  they  are  not  actuated  nor  led  by  God's  Spirit ; 
yea,  many  great  doctors,  divines,  teachers,  and  bishops  of 
Christianity,  (commonly  so  called,)  have  wholly  shut  their 
ears  from  hearing  and  their  eyes  from  seeing  this  inward 
guide,  and  so  are  become  strangers  unto  it ;  whence  they 
are,  by  their  own  experience,  brought  to  this  strait,  either 
to  confess  tha  they  are  as  yet  ignorant  of  God,  and  have 
only  the  shadow  (  f  knowledge,  and  not  the  true  know  edge 
of  him,  or  that  this  knowledge  is  acquired  without  imme- 
diate revelation. 
3* 


30 


PROPOSITION  II. 


Knowledge     For  the  better  understanding  then  of  this  proposition,  we 

sndi'\iieial  '^'^  distinguish  betwixt  tlie  certain  knowledge  of  God,  and 

,  the  uncertain;  betwixt  the  spiritual  knowledge,  and  the 
guisned.  .  '  °      .  . 

literal ;  the  saving  heart-knowledge,  and  the  soaring  airy 
head  knowledge.  The  last,  we  confess,  may  be  divers 
ways  obtained  ;  but  the  first,  by  no  other  way  than  the  in- 
ward immediate  manifestation  and  revelation  of  God's 
Spirit,  shining  in  and  upon  the  heart,  enlightening  and 
opening  the  understanding. 

§  II.  Having  then  proposed  to  myself,  in  these  proposi- 
tions, to  affirm  those  things  which  relate  to  the  true  and 
effectual  knowledge  which  brings  life  eternal  with  it ;  there- 
fore I  have  truly  affirmed,  that  this  knowledge  is  no  other 
ways  attained,  and  that  none  have  any  true  ground  to  be- 
lieve they  have  attained  it,  who  have  it  not  by  this  revela- 
tion of  God's  Spirit. 

The  certainty  of  which  truth  is  such,  that  it  hath  been 
acknowledged  by  some  of  the  most  refined  and  famous  of 
all  sorts  of  professors  of  Christianity  in  all  ages  ;  who  being 
truly  upright-hearted,  and  earnest  seekers  of  the  Lord — 
however  stated  under  the  disadvantages  and  epidemical 
errors  of  their  several  sects  or  ages — the  true  seed  in  them 
hath  been  answered  by  God's  love,  who  hath  had  regard 
to  the  good,  and  hath  had  of  his  elect  ones  among  all ;  who 
finding  a  distaste  and  disgust  in  all  other  outward  means, 
even  in  the  very  principles  and  precepts  more  particularly 
relative  to  their  own  forms  and  societies,  have  at  last  con- 
cluded, with  one  voice,  that  there  was  no  true  knowledge  of 
God  but  that  which  is  revealed  inwardly  by  his  own  Spirit. 
Whereof  take  these  following  testimonies  of  the  ancients: 
Aug.  IX.  1.  "It  is  the  inward  master  (saith  Augustine)  that 
Joh^^iii^''  teacheth,  it  is  Christ  that  teacheth,  it  is  inspiration  that 
teacheth :  where  this  inspiration  and  unction  is  wanting,  it 
is  in  vain  that  words  from  without  are  beaten  in."  And 
thereafter  :  "  For  ht  that  created  us,  and  redeemed  us,  and 
called  us  by  faith,  and  dwelleth  in  us  by  his  Spirit,  uidess 
he  speaketh  unto  as  inwardly,  it  is  needless  for  us  to  cry 
out." 


-F  IMMEDIATE  REVF.LATION. 


ai 


2.  "  There  is  a  difrerence,"  saitli  Cloinens  Alexandrinus,  Clem. 
*»  Detwixt  that  which  any  one  saith  of  (he  truth,  and  that  sirom. 
which  the  trutli  itself,  inter|)reting  itself,  saith.    A  conjec- 
ture of  truth  d.fieretli  from  the  truth  itself;  a  similitude,  of 

a  thing  difltreth  from  the  thing  itself ;  it  is  one  thing  that 
is  acquired  by  exercise  and  discipline  ;  and  another  thing, 
which  by  power  and  faith."  Lastly,  the  same  Clemens 
saith,  "  Truth  is  neither  hard  to  be  arrived  at,  nor  is  it  im-  Paedag 
possible  to  apprehend  it ;  for  it  is  most  nigh  unto  us,  even 
in  our  houses,  as  the  most  wise  Moses  hath  insinuated." 

3.  "How  is  it,"  saith  Tertullian,  "that  since  the  devil  Tenullia- 
always  worketh,  and  stirreth  up  the  mind  to  iniquity,  that  Jje^eland. 
the  work  of  God  should  either  cease,  or  desist  to  act  ?  Virgimbus 

cap.  1. 

Since  for  this  end  the  Lord  did  send  the  Comforter,  that 
because  human  weakness  could  not  at  once  bear  all  things, 
knowledge  might  be  by  little  and  little  directed,  formed, 
and  brought  to  perfection,  by  the  holy  Spirit,  that  vicar  of 
the  Lord.  '  I  have  many  things  yet,'  saith  he,  <  to  speak 
unto  you,  but  ye  cannot  as  yet  bear  them ;  but  when  that 
Spirit  of  truth  shall  come,  he  shall  lead  you  into  all  truth, 
and  shall  teach  you  these  things  that  are  to  come.'  But 
of  this  his  work  we  have  spoken  above.  What  is  then  the 
administration  of  the  Comforter,  but  that  discipline  be 
directed,  and  the  scriptures  revealed,  &c." 

4.  "  The  law,"  saith  Hierom,  "  is  spiritual,  and  there  is  Hicron.  Ep 
need  of  a  revelation  to  understand  it."  And  in  his  Epistle  ''^"''"■^^^ 
150,  to  Hedibia,  Quest.  11,  he  saith,  "The  whole  Epistle 

to  the  Romans  needs  an  interpretation,  it  being  involved 
in  so  great  obscurities,  that  for  the  understanding  thereof 
we  need  the  help  of  the  holy  Spirit,  who  through  the  apos- 
tle dictated  it." 

5   "  So  great  things,"  saith  Athanasius,  "  doth  our  A.liatia8iu8 
Saviour  daily  :  he  draws  unto  piety,  persuades  unto  virtue,  Ve/bi'^DeT 
leaches  immortality,  excites  to  the  desire  of  heavenly 
things,  reveals  the  knowledge  of  the  Fatlier,  inspires  power 
against  death,  and  shows  himself  unto  every  one."  q^^^  j^,^ 

6.  Gregory  the  Great,  upon  these  words  [He  shall  teach  Hom.  30. 
you  all  things]  saith  ,  "  That  unless  the  .same  Spirit  is  pre-  cfospel.* 


J2 


PROPOSITION  II. 


Cyril.Alex, 
in  The- 
Bauro,  lib. 
xiii.  c.  3. 


Bernard 
in  Psal. 
luziv. 


Lather 
torn.  T. 
^.76. 


Phil.  Me- 
lanethon. 


By  the  Spi. 
'It  alone 
God  is 
mown. 


sent  in  the  heart  of  the  hearer,  in  vain  is  th*  Jiscourse  of 
the  doctor.  Let  no  man  then  ascribe  unto  the  man  that 
teacheth,  what  he  understands  from  the  mouth  of  him  that 
speaketh  ;  for  unless  he  that  teacheth  be  within,  the  tongue 
of  the  doctor,  that  is  without,  laboureth  in  vain." 

7.  Cyrillus  Alexandrinus  plainly  affirmeth,  "  That  men 
know  that  Jesus  is  the  Lord  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  no  other- 
wise, than  they  who  taste  honey  know  that  it  is  sweet,  evea 
by  its  proper  quality." 

8.  <'  Therefore,"  saith  Bernard,  "  we  daily  exhort  you, 
brethren,  that  ye  walk  th»  ways  of  the  heart,  and  that  youi 
souls  be  always  in  your  hands,  that  ye  may  hear  what  the 
Lord  saith  in  you."  And  again,  upon  these  words  of  the 
apostle  [Let  him  that  glorieth,  glory  in  the  Lord],  "  With 
which  threefold  vice,"  saith  he,  "  all  sorts  of  religious  men 
are  less  or  more  dangerously  affected,  because  they  do  not 
so  diligently  attend,  with  the  ears  of  the  heart,  to  what  the 
Spirit  of  truth,  which  flatters  none,  inwardly  speaks." 

This  was  the  very  basis,  and  main  foundation,  upon 
which  the  primitive  reformers  built. 

Luther,  in  his  book  to  the  nobility  of  Germany,  saith, 
"  This  is  certain,  that  no  man  can  make  himself  a  teachei 
of  the  holy  scriptures,  but  the  holy  Spirit  alone."  And 
upon  the  Magnificat  he  saith,  "  No  man  can  rightly  know 
God,  or  understand  the  word  of  God,  unless  he  imme- 
diately receive  it  from  the  Holy  Spirit ;  neither  can  any  one 
receive  it  from  the  Holy  Spirit,  except  he  find  it  by  expe- 
rience in  himself;  and  in  this  experience  the  Holy  Ghost 
teacheth,  as  in  his  proper  school  ;  out  of  which  school  no- 
thing is  taught  but  mere  talk." 

Philip  Melancthon,  in  his  annotations  upon  John  vi.  • 
"Those  who  hear  only  an  outward  and  bodily  voice,  heai 
the  creature  ;  but  God  is  a  Spirit,  and  is  neither  discerned, 
nor  known,  nor  heard,  but  by  the  Spirit ;  and  therefore  to 
hear  the  voice  of  God,  to  see  God,  is  to  know  and  hear  the 
Spirit.  By  the  Spirit  alone  God  is  known  and  perceived. 
Which  also  the  more  serious  to  this  day  do  acknowledge, 
even  all  su  .h  who  satisfy  themselves  not  with  the  suporfi- 


OF  IMMEDIATE  REVELATION. 


33 


ties  of  leligion,  and  use  it  not  as  a  cover  or  art.  Yea,  all 
those  who  apply  themselves  etlectually  to  Christianity,  and 
art.  not  satisfied  until  they  have  found  its  effectual  work 
upon  their  hearts,  redeeming  them  from  sin,  do  feel  that 
no  knowledge  effectually  prevails  to  the  producing  of  this, 
but  that  which  proceeds  from  the  warm  influence  of  God's 
Spirit  upon  the  heart,  and  from  the  comfortable  shining  of 
his  light  upon  their  understanding." 

And  therefore  to  this  purpose  a  modern  author,  viz.  Dr.  Di|^Sniith 
Smith  of  Cambridge,  in  his  select  discourses,  saith  well ;  bridge, 
"  To  seek  our  divinity  merely  in  books  and  writings,  is  to  ■^pg^o'^i^ 
seek  the  living  among  the  dead  ;  we  do  but  in  vain  many  divinity, 
times  seek  God  in  these,  where  his  truth  is  too  often  not  so 
much  enshrined  as  entombed.    Intra  te  qucere  Deum,  Seek 
God  within  thine  own  soul.  He  is  best  discerned,  vos^a  tVaipjj, 
as  Plotinus  phraseth  it,  by  an  intellectual  touch  of  him. 
We  must  see  witli  our  eyes,  and  hear  with  our  ears,  and 
our  hands  must  handle  the  word  of  life  —  to  express  it  in 
St.  John's  words.  —     ^0.1  -^^ix^s  «iff&iiffig  tis,  &c.,  the  soul 
itself  hath  its  sense,  as  well  as  the  body.    And  therefore 
David,  when  he  would  teach  us  to  know  what  the  divine 
goodness  is,  calls  not  for  speculation,  but  sensation : 
<  Taste,  and  see  that  the  Lord  is  good.'     That  is  not  the  Psal  lu 
iest  and  truest  knowledge  of  God  which  is  wrought  out  ^' 
by  the  labour  and  sweat  of  the  brain,  but  that  which  is 
kindled  within  us,  by  an  heavenly  warmth  in  our  hearts." 
And  again  :  "  There  is  a  knowing  of  the  truth  as  it  is  in 
Jesus,  as  it  is  in  a  Christ-like  nature  ;  as  it  is  in  that  sweet, 
mild,  humble,  and  loving  Spirit  of  Jesus,  which  spreads 
itself,  like  a  morning  sun,  upon  the  souls  of  good  men,  full 
of  light  and  life.    It  profits  little  to  know  Christ  himself 
after  the  flesh  ;  but  he  gives  his  Spirit  to  good  men,  that 
searcheth  the  deep  things  of  God."    And  again  :  "  It  is 
but  a  thin  airy  knowledge  that  is  got  by  mere  speculation, 
which  is  ushered  in  by  syllogisms  and  demonstrations; 
but  that  which  springs  forth   from   true  goodness,  is 
%BtiTe^ov  Ti  TSa.(S(\s  uTo^silsws,  as  Origen  speaks  :  '  It  brings 

E 


34 


PROPOSITION  II. 


Apostasy 
tnd  a  false 
knowledge 
introduced. 


Christian- 
ity is  be- 
come an 
art,  ac- 
quired by 
human 
science 
and  indus- 
try 


such  a  divine  liglit  into  the  soul,  as  is  more  clear  and  ^on 
vincing  than  any  demonstration.'  " 

§  III.  That  this  certain  and  undoubted  method  of  the 
true  knowledge  of  God  hath  been  brought  out  of  use,  hath 
been  none  of  the  least  devices  of  the  devil,  to  secure  man- 
kind to  his  kingdom.  For  after  the  light  and  glory  of  the 
Christian  religion  had  prevailed  over  a  good  part  of  the 
world,  and  dispelled  the  thick  mists  of  the  heathenish  doc 
trine  of  the  plurality  of  gods,  he  that  knew  there  was  no 
probability  of  deluding  the  world  any  longer  that  way,  did 
then  puff  man  up  with  a  false  knowledge  of  the  true  God  ; 
setting  him  on  work  to  seek  God  the  wrong  way,  and  per- 
suading him  to  be  content  with  such  a  knowledge  as  was 
of  his  own  acquiring,  and  not  of  God's  teaching.  And  this 
device  hath  proved  the  more  successful,  because  accommo- 
dated to  the  natural  and  corrupt  spirit  and  temper  of  man, 
who  above  all  things  affects  to  exalt  himself;  in  which 
self-exaltation,  as  God  is  greatly  dishonoured,  so  therein  the 
devil  hath  his  end  ;  who  is  not  anxious  how  much  God  is 
acknowledged  in  words,  provided  himself  be  but  always 
served ;  he  matters  not  how  great  and  high  speculations 
the  natural  man  entertains  of  God,  so  long  as  he  serves  his 
own  lusts  and  passions,  and  is  obedient  to  his  evil  sugges- 
tions and  temptations.  Thus  Christianity  is  become  as  it 
were  an  art,  acquired  by  human  science  and  industry,  like 
any  other  art  or  science  ;  and  men  have  not  only  assumed 
the  name  of  Christians,  but  even  have  procured  themselves 
to  be  esteemed  as  masters  of  Christianity,  by  certain  artifi- 
cial tricks,  though  altogether  strangers  to  the  spirit  and  life 
of  Jesus.  But  if  we  make  a  right  definition  of  a  Christian, 
according  to  the  scriptures.  That  he  is  one  that  hath  the 
spirit  of  Christ,  and  is  led  by  it,  how  many  Christians,  yf  i, 
and  of  these  great  masters  and  doctors  of  Christianity,  so 
accounted,  shall  we  justly  divest  of  that  noble  title.-' 

If  those  therefore  who  have  all  the  other  means  of  know 
ledge,  and  are  sufficiently  learned  therein,  whether  it  be 
the  letter  of  the  scripture,  the  traditions  of  churches,  or  the 
works  of  creation  and  providence,  whence  they  are  able  to 


OF    IMMKOIATK  RKVELATION.  36 

deduce  strong  and  undeniable  arguments — which  may  be 
true  in  themselves — are  not  yet  to  be  esteemed  Christians 
according  to  the  certain  and  infallible  definition  above 
mentioned  ;  and  if  the  inward  and  immediate  revelation  of 
(rod's  Spirit  in  the  heart,  in  such  as  have  been  altogether 
ignorant  of  isome,  and  but  very  little  skilled  in  others,  of 
chese  means  of  attaining  knowledge,  hath  brought  them  to 
salvation  ;  then  it  will  necessarily  and  evidently  follow,  that  tion'^?s^?he 
inward  and  immediate  revelation  is  the  only  sure  and  cer-  jrueknow 

ieage  oi 

tain  way  to  attain  the  true  and  saving  knowledge  of  God.  God. 

But  the  first  is  true  :  therefore  the  last. 

Now  as  this  argument  doth  very  strongly  conclude  for 
this  way  of  knowledge  and  against  such  as  deny  it,  so  in 
this  respect  it  is  the  more  to  be  regarded,  as  the  proposi- 
tions from  which  it  is  deduced  are  so  clear,  that  our  very 
adversaries  cannot  deny  them.  For  as  to  the  first  it  is 
acknowledged,  that  many  learned  men  may  be,  and  have 
been,  damned.  And  as  to  the  second,  who  will  deny  but 
many  illiterate  men  may  be,  and  are,  saved  ?  Nor  dare  any 
affirm,  that  none  come  to  the  knowledge  of  God  and  salva- 
tion by  the  inward  revelation  of  the  Spirit,  without  these 
other  outward  means,  unless  they  be  also  so  bold  as  to  ex-  Abel,  Seth 
elude  Abel,  Seth,  Noah,  Abraham,  Job,  and  all  the  holy  f^^^^^J^ 
patriarchs  from  true  knowledge  and  salvation. 

§  IV.  I  would  however  not  be  understood,  as  if  hereby 
I  excluded  those  other  means  of  knowledge  from  any  use 
or  service  to  man  ;  it  is  far  from  me  so  to  judge,  as  con- 
cerning the  scriptures,  in  the  next  proposition,  will  more 
plainly  appear.  The  question  is  not,  what  may  be  profit- 
able or  helpful,  but  what  is  absolutely  necessary.  Many 
things  may  contribute  to  further  a  work,  which  yet  are  no* 
the  main  thing  that  makes  the  work  go  on. 

The  sum  then  of  what  is  said  amounts  to  this :  That 
where  the  true  inward  knowledge  of  God  is,  through  the 
revelation  of  iiis  Spirit,  there  is  all ;  neither  is  there  an  ab- 
solute necessity  of  any  other.  But  where  the  best,  highest, 
and  most  profound  knowledge  is,  without  this  there  is 
nothing,  as  to  the  obtaining  the  great  end  of  salvation. 


36 


PROPOSITION  II. 


This  truth  is  very  etTectually  confirmed  by  the  first  part  ol 
the  proposition  itself,  which  in  few  words  coniprehendelh 
divers  unquestionable  arguments^  which  I  shall  in  brief 
subsume. 

First,  That  there  is  no  knowledge  of  the  Father  but 
by  the  Son. 

Secondly,  That  there  is  no  knowledge  of  the  Son  but 
by  the  Spirit. 

Thirdly,  That  by  the  Spirit  God  hatli  always  revealed 

himself  to  his  children. 
Fourthly,  That  these  revelations  were  the  formal  ob- 
ject of  the  saints'  faith. 
And  Lastly,  That  the  same  continueth  to  be  the  ob 
ject  of  the  saints'  faith  to  this  day. 
Of  each  of  these  I  shall  speak  a  little  particularly,  and 
then  proceed  to  the  latter  part. 
Assert,  i.       §  V.  As  to  the  first,  viz.  That  there  is  no  knowledge 
proved.  Father  but  by  the  Son,  it  will  easily  be  proved,  be- 

ing founded  upon  the  plain  words  of  scripture,  and  is 
therefore  a  fit  medium  from  whence  to  deduce  the  rest  of 
our  assertions. 

For  the  infinite  and  most  wise  God,  who  is  the  founda- 
tion, root  and  spring  of  all  operation,  hath  wrought  all 
John  i.  1,  things  by  his  eternal  Word  and  Son.  "  This  is  that  Word 
^'  that  was  in  the  beginning  with  God,  and  was  God,  by 
whom  all  things  were  made,  and  without  whom  was  not 
any  thing  made  that  was  made."  This  is  that  "Jesus 
Eph.  hi  9.  Christ,  by  whom  God  created  all  things,  by  whom,  and 
for  whom,  all  things  were  created,  that  are  in  heaven  and 
in  earth,  visible  and  invisible,  whether  they  be  thrones,  oi 
dominions,  or  principalities,  or  powers,"  Col.  i.  16.  wl\j 
therefore  is  called,  "  The  first-born  of  every  creature," 
Col.  i.  15.  As  then  that  infinite  and  incomprehensible 
fountain  of  life  and  motion  operateth  in  the  creatures  by 
his  own  eternal  word  and  power,  so  no  creature  has  access 
again  unto  him  but  in  and  by  the  Son,  according  to  his 
own  express  words,  "No  man  knoweth  the  J^'ather,  but 
the  Son,  and  he  to  whom  the  Son  will  reveal  him,"  Mat 


OF  IMMEDIATK  REVKLATION. 


xi.  27.  Luke  x.  22.  And  again,  he  himself  saith,  "I  am 
the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life  :  no  man  cometh  unto  the 
Father  but  by  me,"  John  xiv.  6. 

Hence  he  is  fitly  called.  The  mediator  betwixt  God  and 
man  :  for  having  been  with  God  from  all  eternity,  being 
himself  God,  and  also  in  time  partaking  of  the  nature  of 
man,  through  him  is  the  goodness  and  love  of  God  con- 
veyed to  mankind,  and  by  him  again  man  receiveth  and 
partaketh  of  these  mercies. 

Hence  is  easily  deduced  the  proof  of  this  first  assertion, 
thus : 

If  no  man  knoweth  the  Father  but  the  Son,  and  he  to 
whom  the  Son  will  reveal  him,  then  there  is  no  knowledge 
of  the  Father  but  by  the  Son. 

But,  no  man  knoweth  the  Father  but  the  Son  : 
Therefore,  there  is  no  knowledge  of  the  Father  but  by 
the  Son. 

The  first  part  of  the  antecedent  are  the  plain  words  of 
scripture:  the  consequence  thereof  is  undeniable  ;  except 
one  would  say,  that  he  hath  the  knowledge  of  the  Father, 
while  yet  he  knows  him  not;  which  were  an  absurd  re- 
pugnance. 

Again,  If  the  Son  be  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life, 
and  that  no  man  cometh  unto  the  Father,  but  by  him  ; 
then  there  is  no  knowledge  of  the  Father  but  by  the  Son. 

But  the  first  is  true :  therefore  the  last. 

The  antecedent  are  the  very  scripture  words :  the  con- 
sei]uence  is  very  evident :  for  how  can  any  know  a  thing, 
who  useth  not  the  way,  without  which  it  is  not  knowable."' 
But  it  is  already  proved,  that  there  is  no  other  way  but  by 
llie  Son  ;  so  that  whoso  uses  not  that  way,  cannot  know 
him,  neither  come  unto  him. 

§  VI.  Having  then  laid  down  this  first  principle,  I  come  .\ssert 
to  the  second,  viz. :  That  there  is  no  knowledge  of  the  P'*""^** 
Son  but  by  the  Spirit ;  or.  That  the  revelation  of  the  Son 
of  God  is  by  the  Spirit. 

Where  it  is  to  i)e  noted,  that  I  always  speak  of  the  slaving, 
certain,  and  necessary  knowledge  of  God  ;  which  that  it 
4 


t8 


PROPOSITION  II. 


cannot  be  acquired  otherways  than  by  the  Spirit,  doth  zhc 
appear  from  many  clear  scriptures.  For  Jesus  Christ,  in 
and  by  whom  the  Father  is  revealed,  doth  also  reveal  him- 
self to  his  disciples  and  friends  in  and  by  his  Spirit.  As 
his  manifestation  was  outward,  when  he  testified  and  wit- 
nessed for  the  truth  in  this  world,  and  approved  himself 
faithful  throughout,  so  being  now  withdrawn,  as  to  the  c  it- 
ward  man,  he  doth  teach  and  instruct  mankind  inwardly 
by  his  own  Spirit ;  <'  He  standeth  at  the  door,  and  knock- 
eth,  and  whoso  heareth  his  voice  and  openeth,  he  comes 
ip"  to  such.  Rev.  iii.  20.  Of  this  revelation  of  Christ  in 
him  Paul  speaketh.  Gal.  i.  16,  in  which  he  placeth  the  ex- 
cellency of  his  ministry,  and  the  certainty  of  his  calling. 
And  the  promise  of  Christ  to  his  disciples,  '<  Lo,  I  am 
with  you  to  the  end  of  the  world,"  confirmeth  the  same 
thing;  for  this  is  an  inward  and  spiritual  presence,  as  all 
acknowledge  :  but  what  relates  hereto  will  again  occur.  I 
shall  deduce  the  proof  of  this  proposition  from  two  mani- 
Proof  1.     fest  places  of  scripture:  the  first  is,  1  Cor.  ii.  11,  12. 

"  What  man  knoweth  the  things  of  a  man,  save  the  spirit 
I'he  things  of  a  man  which  is  in  him  ?  Even  so  the  things  of  God 
iino'wn  b'y  knoweth  no  man,  but  the  Spirit  of  God.  Now  we  have 
God''""'"'^  received  not  the  spirit  of  the  world,  but  the  Spirit  which  is 
of  God,  that  we  might  know  the  things  which  are  freely 
given  us  of  God."  The  apostle,  in  the  verses  before, 
speaking  of  the  wonderful  things  which  are  prepared  for 
the  saints,  after  he  hath  declared,  that  '<  the  natural  man 
cannot  reach  them,"  adds,  that  "  they  are  revealed  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,"  ver.  9,  10,  giving  this  reason,  "  For  the 
Spirit  searcheth  all  things,  even  the  deep  things  of  God." 
And  then  he  bringeth  in  the  comparison,  in  the  verses  above- 
mentioned,  very  apt,  and  answerable  to  our  purpose  and 
doctrine,  that  "  as  the  things  of  a  man  are  only  known  by 
the  spirit  of  man,  so  the  things  of  God  are  only  known  by 
the  Spirit  of  God  ;"  that  is,  that  as  nothing  below  the  spirit 
of  man  (as  the  spirit  of  brutes,  or  any  other  creatures,) 
can  properly  reach  unto  or  comprehend  the  things  of  a 
man,  as  being  of  a  nobler  and  higher  nature,  so  neithei 


OF  IMMEDIATE  REVELATION. 


39 


can  the  spirit  of  man,  or  the  natural  man,  as  the  apostle 
m  the  fourteenth  verse  subsumes,  receive  nor  discern  the 
things  of  God,  or  the  things  that  are  spiritual,  as  being  also 
of  an  higher  nature  ;  which  the  apostle  himself  gives  for 
the  reason,  saying,  "  Neither  can  he  know  them,  because 
they  are  spiritually  discerned."  So  that  the  apostle's  words 
being  reduced  to  an  argument,  do  very  well  prove  the 
matter  under  debate,  thus  : 

If  that  which  appertaineth  properly  to  man,  cannot  be 
discerned  by  any  lower  or  baser  principle  than  the  spirit  of 
man  ;  then  cannot  those  things,  that  properly  relate  unto 
God  and  (^Ihrist,  be  known  or  discerned  by  any  lower  or 
baser  thing  than  the  Spirit  of  God  and  Christ. 

But  the  first  is  true:  therefore  also  the  second. 

The  whole  strength  of  the  argument  is  contained  in  the 
apostle's  words  before-mentioned  ;  which,  therefore,  being 
granted,  I  shall  proceed  to  deduce  a  second  argument, 
thus : 

That  which  is  spiritual  can  only  be  known  and  discerned 
by  the  Spirit  of  God. 

But  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  true  and 
saving  knowledge  of  him,  is  spiritual: 

Therefore  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  true 
and  saving  knowledge  of  him,  can  only  be  known  and  dis- 
cerned by  the  Spirit  of  God. 

The  other  scripture  is  also  a  saying  of  the  same  apostle,  Proof  a. 
1  Cor  xii.  3.  "No  man  can  say  that  Jesus  is  the  Lord,  Nomancai 
but  by  the  Holy  Ghost."    This  scripture,  which  is  full  of  Lold.Tl 
truth,  and  answereth  full  well  to  the  enlightened  under- 
standing of  the  spiritual  and  real  Christian,  may  perhaps 
prove  very  strange  to  the  carnal  and  pretended  follower  of 
Christ,  by  whom  perhaps  it  hath  not  been  so  diligently  re- 
marked.   Here  the  apostle  doth  so  much  require  the  Holy 
Spin'  ir.  the  things  that  relate  to  a  Christian,  that  he  posi- 
tivel}  avers,  we  cannot  so  much  as  affirm  Jesus  to  be  the 
[>ord  without  it  ;  which  insinuates  no  less,  than  that  the  frm h9"are 
spiritual  truths  of  the  gospel  are  as  lies  in  the  mouths  of  I'es  spoken 

by  c(irn&l 

'•arnal  and  unspiritual  men  ;  for  though  in  themselves  they  men. 


40  PROPOSITION  II. 

be  true,  yet  are  they  not  true  as  to  them,  because  not 
known,  nor  uttered  forth  in  and  by  that  principle  and  spirit 
that  ought  to  direct  the  mind  and  actuate  it  in  such  things  : 
they  are  no  better  than  the  counterfeit  representations  of 
things  in  a  comedy  ;  neither  can  it  be  more  truly  and  pro- 
perly called  a  real  and  true  knowledge  of  God  and  Christ, 
than  the  actions  of  Alexander  the  Great,  and  Julius  Caesar, 
&c.,  if  now  transacted  upon  a  stage,  might  be  called  truly 
and  really  their  doings  ;  or  the  persons  representing  them 
might  be  said  truly  and  really  to  have  conquered  Asia, 
overcome  Pompey,  &c. 

This  knowledge  then  of  Christ,  which  is  not  by  the  re- 
velation of  his  own  Spirit  in  the  heart,  is  no  more  properly 
Like  the  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  than  the  prattling  of  a  parrot, 
»^parrot^  which  has  been  taught  a  few  words,  may  be  said  to  be  the 
voice  of  a  man  ;  for  as  that,  or  some  other  bird,  may  be 
taught  to  sound  or  utter  forth  a  rational  sentence,  as  it  hath 
learned  it  by  the  outward  ear,  and  not  from  any  living  prin- 
ciple of  reason  actuating  it ;  so  just  such  is  that  knowledge 
of  the  things  of  God,  which  the  natural  and  carnal  man 
hath  gathered  from  the  words  or  writings  of  spiritual  men, 
which  are  not  true  to  him,  because  conceived  in  the  natural 
spirit,  and  so  brought  forth  by  the  wrong  organ,  and  not 
proceeding  from  the  spiritual  principle  ;  no  more  than  the 
words  of  a  man  acquired  by  art,  and  brought  forth  by  the 
mouth  of  a  bird,  not  proceeding  from  a  rational  principle, 
are  true  with  respect  to  the  bird  which  utters  them.  Where- 
fore from  this  scripture  I  shall  further  add  this  argument: 

If  no  man  can  say  Jesus  is  the  Lord,  but  by  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  then  no  man  can  know  Jesus  to  be  the  Lord,  but 
by  the  Holy  Ghost. 

But  the  first  is  true:  therefore  the  second. 

From  this  argument  there  may  be  another  deduced,  con- 
cluding in  the  very  terms  of  this  assertion  :  thus, 

If  no  man  can  know  Jesus  to  be  the  Lord,  but  by  the 
Ho]y  Ghost,  then  there  can  be  no  certain  knowledge  oi  r<»- 
velation  of  him  but  by  the  Spirit. 

But  the  first  is  true :  therefore  the  second. 


OF  immp:riatk  revklation. 


41 


^  VII.  The  third  thing  alHrinecT  is,  Tliat  hy  the  Sp.rit  Assert,  iii. 
God  always  revealed  himself  to  his  children. 

For  making  the  truth  of  this  assertion  appear,  it  will  be 
but  needful  to  consider  God's  manifesting  himself  towards 
and  in  relation  to  his  creatures  from  the  beginning,  which 
resolves  .belf  always  herein.  The  first  step  of  all  is  ascribed 
hereunt ,  by  Moses,  Gen.  i,  2.  "And  the  Spirit  of  God  moved 
upon  the  face  of  the  waters."  I  think  it  will  not  be  denied, 
that  God's  converse  with  man,  all  along  from  Adam  to 
Moses,  was  by  the  immediate  manifestation  of  his  Spirit :  That  reve- 
and  afterwards,  through  the  whole  tract  of  the  law,  he  jhe'spim*'' 
spake  to  his  children  no  otherways ;  which,  as  it  naturally 
followeth  from  the  principles  above  proved,  so  it  cannot 
be  denied  by  such  as  acknowledge  the  scriptures  of  truth 
to  have  been  written  by  the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Ghost : 
for  these  writings,  from  Moses  to  Malachi,  do  declare,  that 
during  all  that  time  God  revealed  himself  to  his  children 
by  his  Spirit. 

But  if  any  will  object,  That  after  the  dispensation  of  the  Object. 
law  God's  method  of  speaking  was  altered  ; 

I  answer:  First,  That  God  spake  always  immediately  Answ. 
to  the  Jews,  in  that  he  spake  always  immediately  to  the 
High-Priest  from  betwixt  the  Cherubims  ;  who,  when  he  Sanctum 
entered  into  the  Holy  of  Holies,  returning,  did  relate  to  the  Sanctorum 
whole  people  the  voice  and  will  of  God,  there  immediately 
revealed.    So  that  this  immediate  speaking  never  ceased  in 
any  age. 

Secondly,  From  this  immediate  fellowship  were  none 
shut  out,  who  earnestly  sought  after  and  waited  for  it ;  in 
that  many,  besides  the  High-Priest,  who  were  not  so  much 
as  of  the  kindred  of  Levi,  nor  of  the  prophets,  did  receive 
it  and  speak  from  it ;  as  it  is  written.  Numb.  xi.  25,  where 
the  Spirit  is  said  to  have  rested  on  the  seventy  elders ;  None  shut 
which  Spirit  also  reached  unto  two  that  were  not  in  the 

'  .  this  iintne 

tabernacle,  but  in  the  camp  ;  whom  when  some  would  diaie  fel- 

have  forbidden,  Moses  would  not,  but  rejoiced,  wishing  '""^'"P- 

that  all  the  Lord's  people  were  prophets,  and  that  he  would 

put  his  Spirit  upon  them,  ver.  29. 

4*  r 


PROPOSITION  11. 


This  is  also  confirmeU,  Neh.  ix.,  \vhi;re  the  elders  of  the 
people,  after  their  return  from  captivity',  when  they  began 
to  sanctify  themselves  by  fasting  and  prayer,  numbering 
up  the  many  mercies  of  God  towards  their  fathers,  say, 
verse  20,  <<  Thou  gavest  also  thy  good  Spirit  to  instruct 
them  and  verse  30,  <<  Yet  many  years  didst  thou  for- 
bear, and  testify  against  them  by  thy  Spirit  in  thy  pro- 
phets." Many  are  the  sayings  of  spiritual  David  to  this 
purpose,  as  Psalm  li.  11,  12,  "  Take  not  thy  holy  Spirit 
from  me:  uphold  me  with  thy  free  Spirit."  Psal.  cxxxix. 
7,  "  Whither  shall  I  go  from  thy  Spirit?"  Hereunto  doth 
the  prophet  Isaiah  ascribe  the  credit  of  his  testimony,  say- 
ing, chap,  xlviii.  16,  "  And  now  the  Lord  God  and  his 
Spirit  hath  sent  me."  And  that  God  revealed  himself  to 
his  children  under  the  New  Testament,  to  wit,  to  the 
apostles,  evangelists,  and  primitive  disciples,  is  confessed 
by  all.  How  far  now  this  yet  continueth,  and  is  to  be 
expected,  comes  hereafter  to  be  spoken  to. 

Assort,  iv.  §  Vni.  The  fourth  thing  affirmed  is,  That  these  revela- 
tions were  the  object  of  the  saints'  faith  of  old. 

Proved.  This  will  easily  appear  by  the  definition  of  faith,  and 
considering  what  its  object  is :  for  which  we  shall  not  dive 
into  the  curious  and  various  noiions  of  the  school-men,  but 
stay  in  the  plain  and  positive  \\ords  of  the  apostle  Paul, 

What  faith  who,  Heb.  xi.  describes  it  two  ways.  <<  Faith,"  saith  he, 
<<  is  the  substance  of  things  hoped  for,  and  the  evidence  of 
things  not  seen  :"  which,  as  the  apostle  illustrateth  it  in  the 
same  chapter  by  many  examples,  is  no  other  but  a  firm  and 
certain  belief  of  the  mind,  whereby  it  resteth,  and  in  a  sense 
possesseth  the  substance  of  .some  things  hoped  for,  through 
its  confidence  in  the  promise  of  God :  and  thus  the  soul 
hath  a  most  firm  evidence,  by  its  faith,  of  things  not  yet 
seen  nor  come  to  pass.  The  object  of  this  faith  is  the  pro- 
mise, word,  or  testimony  of  God,  speaking  in  the  mind. 
Hence  it  hath  been  generally  affirmed,  that  the  object  of 
The  object  faith  is  Deus  loquens,  &c.  ihat  is,  God  speaking,  &c.  which 

De^sfo-     is  also  manifest  from  all  those  examples  deduced  by  the 

Huena.       apostle  throughout  that  whole  chapter,  wh  jse  faith  was 


OF  IMMEDIATE  REVELATION. 


43 


lounded  neither  upon  any  outward  testimony,  nor  upon 
the  voice  or  writing  of  man,  but  upon  the  revelation  of 
God's  will,  manifest  unto  them,  and  in  them  ;  as  in  the 
example  of  Noah,  ver.  7.  thus,  "  By  faith  Noah,  being 
warned  of  God  of  things  not  seen  as  yet,  moved  with  fear, 
prepared  an  ark  to  the  saving  of  his  house  ;  by  the  which 
he  condemned  the  world,  and  became  heir  of  the  righteous- 
ness which  is  by  faith."  What  was  here  the  object  of 
Noah's  faith,  but  God  speaking  unto  him .''  He  had  not 
the  writings  nor  prophesyings  of  any  going  before,  nor  yet 
the  concurrence  of  any  church  or  people  to  strengthen 
him ;  and  yet  his  faith  in  the  word,  by  which  he  contra- 
dicted the  whole  world,  saved  him  and  his  house.  Of 
which  also  Abraham  is  set  forth  as  a  singular  example,  be-  Abraham  i 
ing  therefore  called  the  Father  of  the  faithful,  who  is  said 
against  hope  to  have  believed  in  hope,  in  that  he  not  only 
willingly  forsook  his  father's  country,  not  knowing  whithei 
he  went ;  in  that  he  believed  concerning  the  coming  of 
Isaac,  though  contrary  to  natural  probability  ;  but  above 
all,  in  that  he  refused  not  to  offer  him  up,  not  doubting 
but  God  was  able  to  raise  him  from  the  dead ;  of  whom  it 
is  said,  that  in  Isaac  shall  thy  seed  be  called.  And  last  of 
all,  in  that  he  rested  in  the  promise,  that  his  seed  should 
possess  the  land,  wherein  he  himself  was  but  a  pilgrim, 
and  which  to  them  was  not  to  be  fulfilled  while  divers  ages 
after.  The  object  of  Abraham's  faith  in  all  this  was  no 
other  but  inward  and  immediate  revelation,  or  God  signi- 
fying his  will  unto  him  inwardly  and  immediately  by  his 
Spirit. 

But  because,  in  this  part  of  the  proposition,  we  made 
also  mention  of  external  voices,  appearances,  and  dreams 
in  the  alternative,  I  think  also  fit  to  speak  hereof,  what  in 
that  respect  may  be  objected  ;  to  wit, 

That  those  who  found  their  faith  now  upon  immediate  Objict. 
and  objective  revelation,  ought  to  have  also  outward  voices 
or  visions,  dreams  or  appearances  for  it. 

It  is  not  denied,  but  God  made  use  of  the  ministry  of  Ah3w, 
»ngpls,  who,  in  the  appearance  of  men,  spake  outwardly 


44 


PROPOSITION  II. 


The  minis-  to  the  Saints  of  old,  and  that  he  did  also  reveal  5;orri8  thingi 
/e^s^speaii- to  them  in  dreams  and  visions;  none  of  which  we  will 
ingin  the    affirm  to  be  ceased,  so  as  to  limit  the  power  and  liberlv  of 

appearance  .  ...  .  . 

of  men  to    God  in  maiiifestin<^  himself  towards  his  children.  But 
•"fofd.'"'^    while  we  are  considering  the  object  of  faith,  we  must 
not  stick  to  that  which  is  but  circumstantially  and  acci- 
dentally so,  but  to  that  which  is  universally  and  substan- 
tially so. 

Next  again,  we  must  distinguish  betwixt  that  which  in 
itself  is  subject  to  doubt  and  delusion,  and  therefore  is  re- 
ceived for  and  because  of  another ;  and  that  which  is  not 
subject  to  any  doubt,  but  is  received  simply  for  and  because 
of  itself,  as  being  prima  Veritas,  the  very  first  and  original 
trutn.  Let  us  then  consider  how  or  how  far  these  outward 
voices,  appearances,  and  dreams  were  the  object  of  the 
Revela-  saints'  faith  :  was  it  because  they  were  simply  voices,  ap- 
dream8''and  pea''a"ces,  or  dreams  Nay,  certainly  ;  for  they  were  not 
Tisions.  ignorant,  that  the  devil  might  form  a  sound  of  words,  con- 
vey it  to  the  outward  ear,  and  deceive  the  outward  senses, 
by  making  things  to  appear  that  are  not.  Yea,  do  we  not 
see  by  daily  experience,  that  the  jugglers  and  mountebanks 
can  do  as  much  as  all  that  by  their  legerdemain  God 
forbid  then  that  the  saints'  faith  should  be  founded  upon 
so  fallacious  a  foundation  as  man's  outward  and  fallible 
senses.  What  made  them  then  give  credit  to  these  visions.'' 
Certainly  nothing  else  but  the  secret  testimony  of  God's 
Spirit  in  their  hearts,  assuring  them  that  the  voices,  dreams, 
and  visions  were  of  and  from  God.  Abraham  believed  the 
angels ;  but  who  told  him  that  these  men  were  angels  .' 
We  must  not  think  his  faith  then  was  built  upon  his  out- 
ward senses,  but  proceeded  from  the  secret  persuasion  of 
God's  Spirit  in  his  heart.  This  then  must  needs  be 
acknowledged  to  be  originally  and  principally  the  ooject 
of  the  saints'  faith,  without  which  there  is  no  true  and  cer- 
tain faith,  and  by  which  many  times  faith  is  begotten  and 
strengthened  without  any  of  these  outward  or  visibk 
helps ;  as  we  may  observe  in  many  passages  of  the  holy 
scripture,  where  it  is  only  mentioned,  '<  And  God  said," 


OF  IMMEOIATK  RKVKr.ATlON. 


45 


A.C.  "  And  the  word  of  the  I^ord  ciuiie"  unto  such  and  such, 
saying,  &c. 

But  if  any  one  should  pertinaciously  allirm,  That  this  Osject. 
did  import  an  outward  audible  voice  to  the  carnal  ear; 

I  would  gladly  know  what  other  argument  such  an  one  Answ. 
could  bring  for  this  his  affirmation,  saving  his  own  simple 
conjecture.     It  is  said  indeed,  "The  Spirit  witnesseth  The  spirit 

.  •  •  •  •  SDf^tlKS  to 

with  our  spirit,"  Rom.  viii.  16 ;  but  not  to  our  outward  the  spiritu- 

ears.    And  seeing  the  Spirit  of  God  is  within  us,  and  not  "i',g°J^"?'  '* 

without  us  only,  it  speaks  to  our  spiritual,  and  not  to  our  ward. 

bodily  ear.    Therefore  I  see  no  reason,  where  it  is  so  often 

said  in  scripture.  The  Spirit  said,  moved,  hindered,  called 

such  or  such  a  one,  to  do  or  forbear  such  or  such  a  thing, 

that  any  have  to  conclude,  that  this  was  not  an  inward 

voice  to  the  ear  of  the  soul,  rather  than  an  outward  voice 

to  the  bodily  ear.    If  any  be  otherwise  minded,  let  them, 

if  they  can,  produce  their  arguments,  and  we  may  further 

consider  of  them. 

From  all  therefore  which  is  above  declared,  I  shall  de- 
duce an  argument  to  conclude  the  proof  of  this  assertion, 
thus : 

That  which  any  one  firmly  believes,  as  the  ground  and 
foundation  of  his  hope  in  God,  and  life  eternal,  is  the  formal 
object  of  his  faith. 

But  the  inward  and  immediate  revelation  of  God's  Spirit, 
speaking  in  and  unto  the  saints,  was  by  them  believed  as 
the  ground  and  foundation  of  their  hope  in  God,  and  life 
eternal. 

Therefore  these  inward  and  immediate  revelations  were 
the  formal  object  of  their  faith. 

§  IX.  That  which  now  cometh  under  debate,  is  what  Assert  » 
we  asserted  in  the  last  place,  to  wit.  That  the  same  con-  ^'"^"^ 
tinueth  to  be  the  object  of  the  saints'  faith  unto  this  day. 
Many  will  agree  to  what  we  have  said  before,  who  differ 
from  us  herein. 

There  is  nevertheless  a  very  firm  argument,  confirming 
the  truth  of  this  assertion,  included  in  the  proposition  itself, 
lo  wit,  That  the  object  of  the  saints'  faith  is  the  same  ia 


46 


PROPOSITION  II. 


all  ages,  though  held  forth  under  divers  administrations , 
which  I  shall  reduce  to  an  argument,  and  prove  thus: 

First,  Where  the  faith  is  one,  the  object  of  the  faith  is 
one. 

But  the  faith  is  one :  Therefore,  &c. 
That  the  faith  is  one,  is  the  express  words  of  the  i  postle, 
Eph.  iv.  5.  who  placeth  the  one  faith  with  the  one  God , 
importing  no  less,  than  that  to  affirm  two  faiths  is  as  absurd 
as  to  affirm  two  gods. 

Moreover,  if  the  faith  of  the  ancients  were  not  one  and 
the  same  with  ours,  i.  e.  agreeing  in  substance  therewith, 
and  receiving  the  same  definition,  it  had  been  impertinent 
The  faith  of  for  the  apostle,  Heb.  xi.  to  have  illustrated  the  definition 
of ofd'ih'e        o^'"  ^''ith  by  the  examples  of  that  of  the  ancients,  or  to 
'i/are  about  to  move  us  by  the  example  of  Abraham,  if  Abra- 

ham's faith  were  different  in  nature  from  ours.  Nor  doth 
any  difference  arise  hence,  because  they  believed  in  Christ 
with  respect  to  his  appearance  outwardly  as  future,  and  we 
as  already  appeared  :  for  neither  did  they  then  so  believe 
in  him  to  come,  as  not  to  feel  him  present  with  them,  and 
witness  him  near;  seeing  the  apostle  saith,  "  They  all  drank 
of  that  spiritual  rock  which  followed  them,  which  rock  was 
Christ;"  nor  do  we  so  believe  concerning  his  appearance 
past,  as  not  also  to  feel  and  know  him  present  with  us,  and 
to  fee<'  upon  him  ;  except  Christ,  saith  the  apostle,  be  in 
you,  ye  are  reprobates ;  so  that  both  our  faith  is  one,  ter- 
minating: in  one  and  the  same  thing:.  And  as  to  the  other 
part  or  consequence  of  the  antecedent,  to  wit.  That  the 
object  is  one  where  the  faith  is  one,  the  apostle  also  proveth 
it  in  the  fore-cited  chapter,  where  he  makes  all  the  worthies 
of  old  examples  to  us.  Now  wherein  are  they  imitabh;, 
but  because  they  believed  in  God  ?  And  what  was  the 
object  of  their  faith,  but  inward  and  immediate  revelation, 
as  we  have  before  proved  ?  Their  example  can  be  no  ways 
applicable  to  us,  except  we  believe  in  God,  as  they  did , 
that  is,  by  the  same  object.  The  apostle  clears  this  yet 
further  by  his  own  example,  Gal.  i.  16.  where  he  saith, 
"So  soon  as  Christ  was  revealed  in  him,  he  consulted  not 


OF  IMMEDIATE  REVELATION. 


4? 


with  flesh  and  blood,  but  forthwith  believed  and  (bayed." 
The  same  apostle,  Heb.  xiii.  7,  8.  where  he  exhc  rteth  the 
Hebrews  to  follow  the  faith  of  the  elders,  adds  this  reason, 
*<  Considering  the  end  of  their  conversation,  Jesus  Christ, 
the  same  to-day,  yesterday,  and  for  ever:"  Hereby  notably 
insinuating,  that  in  the  object  there  is  no  alteration. 

If  any  now  object  the  diversity  of  administration;  Oaisn 

I  answer ;  That  altereth  not  at  all  the  object:  for  the  Answ 
same  apostle  mentioning  this  diversity  three  times,  1  Cor. 
xii.  4,  5,  6.  centereth  always  in  the  same  object ;  the  same 
Spirit,  the  same  Lord,  the  same  God. 

But  further  ;  If  the  object  of  faith  were  not  one  and  the 
same  both  to  us  and  to  them,  then  it  would  follow  that  we 
were  to  know  God  some  other  way  than  by  the  Spirit. 

But  this  were  absurd  :  Therefore,  &c. 

Lastly,  this  is  most  firmly  proved  from  a  common  and 
received  maxim  of  the  school-men,  to  wit,  Omnis  actus  spe- 
cificalur  ah  objecto,  <  Every  act  is  specified  from  its  object ;' 
from  which,  if  it  be  true,  as  they  acknowledge,  (though  for 
the  sake  of  many  I  shall  not  recur  to  this  argument,  as 
being  too  nice  and  scholastic,  neither  lay  I  much  stress  upon 
those  kind  of  things,  as  being  that  which  commends  not 
the  simplicity  of  the  gospel)  it  would  follow,  that  if  the  ob- 
ject were  diflferent,  then  the  faith  would  be  different  also. 

Such  as  deny  this  proposition  now-a-days  use  here  a  dis- 
tinction ;  granting  that  God  is  to  be  known  by  his  Spirit, 
but  again  denying  that  it  is  immediate  or  inward,  but  in 
and  by  the  scriptures ;  in  which  the  mind  of  the  Spirit  (as 
they  say)  being  fully  and  amply  expressed,  we  are  thereby 
to  know  God,  and  be  led  in  all  things. 

As  to  the  negative  of  this  assertion.  That  (he  scriptures 
are  not  sufficient,  neither  were  ever  appointed  to  be  the 
adequate  and  only  rule,  nor  yet  can  guide  or  direct  a  Chris- 
tian in  all  those  things  that  are  needful  for  him  to  know, 
we  shall  leave  that  to  the  next  proposition  to  be  examined. 
What  is  proper  in  this  place  to  be  proved  is.  That  Chris- 
tians now  are  to  be  led  inwardly  and  immediately  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  even  in  the  same  manner,  though  it  befall 


48 


PROPOSITION  II. 


noi  many  to  be  led  in  the  same  measure,  as  the  saints  were 
of  old. 

Christians  §  X.  I  shall  prove  this  by  divers  arguments,  and  first 
beTled^y"  ^^^^  promise  of  Christ  in  these  words,  John  xiv.  16, 
the  Spirit,  "And  I  will  pray  the  Father,  and  he  will  give  you  another 
mannerJs*^  Comforter,  that  he  may  abide  with  you  for  ever."  Ver.  17. 
thesaintsof  u  Even  the  Spirit  of  truth,  whom  the  world  cannot  receive. 

because  it  seeth  him  not,  neither  knoweth  him ;  but  ye 
know  him,  for  he  dwelleth  with  you,  and  shall  be  in  you." 
Again,  ver.  26.  '<  But  the  Comforter,  which  is  the  Holy 
Ghost,  whom  the  Father  will  send  in  my  name,  he  shall 
teach  you  all  things,  and  bring  all  things  to  your  remem- 
brance." And  xvi.  13.  But  "when  he,  the  Spirit  of  truth 
is  come,  he  will  guide  you  into  all  truth :  for  he  shah 
not  speak  of  himself;  but  whatsoever  he  shall  hear  he  shall 
speak,  and  he  will  show  you  things  to  come."  We  have 
here  first,  who  this  is,  and  that  is  divers  ways  expressed, 
to  wit :  The  Comforter,  the  Spirit  of  truth,  the  Holy  Ghost, 
the  Sent  of  the  Father  in  the  name  of  Christ.  And  hereby 
is  sufficiently  proved  the  sottishness  of  those  Socinians  and 
other  carnal  Christians,  who  neither  know  nor  acknowledge 
any  internal  Spirit  or  power  but  that  which  is  merely  natural ; 
by  which  they  sufficiently  declare  themselves  to  be  of  the 
world,  who  cannot  receive  the  Spirit,  because  they  neither 
see  him  nor  know  him.  Secondly,  Where  this  Spirit  is  to 
be,  "He  dwelleth  with  you,  and  shall  be  in  you."  And 
Thirdly,  What  his  work  is,  "  He  shall  teach  you  all  things, 
and  bring  all  things  to  your  remembrance,  and  guide  you 
into  all  truth,"  odriyyidsi  uj^ag  hg  warfav  f  aXtj^Eiav. 
Query  1.  -^-S  to  the  first,  most  do  acknowledge  that  there  is  nothing 
Who  is  this  g|gg  understood  than  what  the  plain  words  signify;  which 
Comforter?  .  ^  /.       •  V  ii 

IS  also  evident  by  many  other  places  of  scripture  that  will 

Nonsensi-  hereafter  occur ;  neither  do  I  see  how  such  as  affirm  other- 

cal  conse-   vvays  can  avoid  blasphemy  :  for,  if  the  Comforter,  the  Holy 

?romThe     Ghost,  and  Spirit  of  truth,  be  all  one  with  the  scriptures, 

behefoffhe  then  it  will  follow  that  the  scriptures  are  God,  seeing  it  is 

.criptures  true  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  God.  If  these  men's  reasoning 
Deing  the  ...  •       i  •  i 

Spirit.       might  take  place,  wherever  the  Spirit  is  mentioned  in  rela- 


OF  IMMEDIATE  REVELATION. 


49 


tion  to  the  saints,  thereby  might  be  truly  and  properly  un^ 
(lerstood  the  scriptures  ;  which,  what  a  nonsensical  monster 
it  would  make  of  the  Christian  religion,  will  easily  appear 
to  all  men.  As  where  it  is  said,  "A  manifestation  of  the 
Spirit  is  given  to  every  man  to  profit  withal ;"  it  might  be 
rendered  thus :  A  manifestation  of  the  scriptures  is  given 
to  every  man  to  profit  withal  ;  what  notable  sense  this  would 
make,  and  what  a  curious  interpretation,  let  us  consider  by 
the  sequel  of  the  same  chapter,  1  Cor.  xii.  9,  10,  11.  "  To 
another  the  gifts  of  healing,  by  the  same  Spirit ;  to  another 
the  working  of  miracles,  &c.  But  all  these  worketh  that 
one  and  the  self-same  Spirit,  dividing  to  every  man  seve- 
reilly  as  he  will."  What  would  now  these  great  masters  of 
reason,  the  Socinians,  judge,  if  we  should  place  the  scrip- 
tures here  instead  of  the  Spirit  ?  Would  it  answer  their 
reason,  which  is  the  great  guide  of  their  faith  Would  it 
be  good  and  sound  reason  in  their  logical  schools,  to  afllirm 
that  the  scripture  divideth  severally  as  it  will,  and  giveth  to 
some  the  gift  of  healing,  to  others  the  working  of  miracles 
If  then  this  Spirit,  a  manifestation  where(>f  is  given  to 
every  man  to  profit  withal,  be  no  other  than  thai  Spirit  of 
truth  before-mentioned  which  guideth  into  all  truth,  this 
Spirit  of  truth  cannot  be  the  scripture.  I  could  infer  an  hun- 
dred more  absurdities  of  this  kind  upon  this  sp*+ish  opinion, 
but  what  is  said  may  suffice.  For  even  some  of  themselves, 
being  at  times  forgetful  or  ashamed  of  their  own  doctrine, 
do  acknowledge  that  the  Spirit  of  God  is  another  thing, 
and  distinct  from  the  scriptures,  to  guide  and  influence  the 
saints. 

Secondly,  That  this  Spirit  is  inward,  in  my  opinion  Query  2. 
needs  no  interpretation  or  commentary,  "He  d^elleth  j^J'p,''^," 
with  you,  and  shall  be  in  you."  This  indwelling  of  the 
Spirit  in  the  saints,  as  it  is  a  thing  most  needful  to  be 
known  and  believed,  so  is  it  as  positively  asserted  in  the 
scripture  as  any  thing  else  can  be.  "  If  so  be  that  the 
Spirit  of  God  dwell  in  you,"  saith  the  apostle  to  the  Ro- 
mans, chap.  viii.  9.  And  again,  '<  Know  ye  not  that  your 
body  is  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  1  Cor.  vi.  19.  "And 
5  r. 


PROPOSITION  II. 


that  the  Spirit  of  God  dwelleth  in  you?"  1  Cor.  ill.  16 
Without  this  the  apostle  reckoneth  no  man  a  Christian. 
"  If  any  man  ^saith  he)  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Clirist,  he  is 
none  of  his."  These  words  immediately  follow  those 
above  mentioned  out  of  the  epistle  to  the  Romans,  "  But 
ye  are  not  in  the  flesh,  but  in  the  Spirit,  if  so  be  tlie  Spirit 
The  Spirit  of  God  dwell  in  you."  The  context  of  which  showeth, 
main'"t'oken  ^'^''^  ^'^^  apostle  reckoneth  it  the  main  token  of  a  Obristiin, 
1*^^ Chris-  both  positively  and  negatively:  for  in  the  former  verses 
he  showeth  how  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God, 
and  that  su'.h  as  are  in  the  flesh  cannot  please  him.  Where 
subsuming,  he  adds  concerning  the  Romans,  that  they  are 
not  in  the  flesh,  if  the  Spirit  of  God  dwell  in  them.  What 
is  this  but  to  affirm,  that  they  in  whom  the  Spirit  dwells 
are  no  longer  in  the  flesh,  nor  of  those  who  please  not  God, 
but  are  become  Christians  indeed  ?  Again,  in  the  same 
verse  he  concludes  negatively,  that  "If  any  man  have  not 
the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his  ;"  that  is,  he  is  no 
Christian.  He  then  that  acknowledges  himself  ignorant 
and  a  stranger  to  the  inward  in-being  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ 
in  his  heart,  doth  thereby  acknowledge  himself  to  be  yet 
in  the  carnal  mind,  which  is  enmity  to  God  ;  to  be  yet  in 
the  flesh,  where  God  cannot  be  pleased  ;  and  in  short, 
whatever  he  may  otherways  know  or  believe  of  Christ,  or 
however  much  skilled  or  acquainted  with  the  letter  of  the 
holy  scripture,  not  yet  to  be,  notwithstanding  all  that,  at- 
tained to  the  least  degree  of  a  Christian ;  yea,  not  once  to 
have  embraced  the  Christian  religion.  For  take  but  away 
the  Spirit,  and  Christianity  remains  no  more  Christianity, 
than  the  dead  carcase  of  a  man,  when  the  soul  and  spirit  is 
departed,  remains  a  man  ;  which  the  living  can  no  more 
abide,  but  do  bury  out  of  their  sight,  as  a  noisome  and 
iseless  thing,  however  acceptable  it  hath  been  when  actu- 
ated and  moved  by  the  soul.  Lastly,  Whatsoever  is 
excellent,  whatsoever  is  noble,  whatsoever  is  worthy,  what- 
soever is  desirable  in  the  Christian  faith,  is  ascribed  to  this 
Spirit,  without  which  it  could  no  more  subsist  than  the 
outward  world  withe  it  the  sun.    Hereunto  have  all  truf 


CI    IMMEDIATE  REVELATION 


51 


Chr:jtians,  in  all  ages,  attributed  their  strei  gth  and  life.  It 
IS  by  this  Spirit  that  they  avouch  themselves  to  have  been 
converted  to  God,  to  have  been  redeemec  from  the  world, 
to  have  been  strengthened  in  their  weakness,  comforted  in 
their  afflictions,  confirmed  in  their  temptations,  emboldened 
in  their  suflerings,  and  triumphed  in  the  midst  of  all  their 
persecutions.  Yea,  the  writings  of  all  true  Christians  are  The  great 
full  of  the  great  and  notable  things  which  they  all  affirm  acts  that 
themselves  to  have  done,  by  the  power,  and  virtue,  and  g^j^^g^p", 
efficacy  of  this  Spirit  of  God  working  in  them.  "  It  is  the  formed  by 
Spirit  that  quickeneth,"  John  vi.  63.  It  was  the  Spirit  b^aU^ea. 
that  gave  them  utterance,  Acts  ii.  4.  It  was  the  Spirit 
by  which  Stephen  spake,  that  the  Jews  were  not  able 
to  resist.  Acts  vi.  10.  It  is  such  as  walk  after  the 
Spirit  that  receive  no  condemnation,  Rom.  viii.  1.  It  is 
the  law  of  the  Spirit  that  makes  free,  ver.  2.  It  is  by 
the  Spirit  of  God  dwelling  in  us  that  we  are  redeemed 
from  the  flesh,  and  from  the  carnal  mind,  ver.  9.  It  is 
the  Spirit  of  Christ  dwelling  in  us  that  quickeneth  our 
mortal  bodies,  ver.  11.  It  is  through  this  Spirit  that  the 
deeds  of  the  body  are  mortified,  and  life  obtained,  ver.  13. 
It  is  by  this  Spirit  that  we  are  adopted,  and  "  cry  ABBA 
Father,"  ver.  15.  It  is  this  "  Spirit  that  beareth  witness 
with  our  spirit  that  we  are  the  cliildren  of  God,"  ver.  16. 
It  is  this  "  Spirit  that  helpeth  our  infirmities,  and  maketh 
intercession  for  us,  with  groanings  which  cannot  be  ut- 
tered," ver.  26.  It  is  by  this  Spirit  that  the  glorious  things 
which  God  hath  laid  up  for  us,  which  neither  outward 
ear  hath  heard,  nor  outward  eye  hath  seen,  nor  the  heart 
of  man  conceived  by  all  his  reasonings,  are  revealed  unto 
us,  1  Cor.  ii.  9,  10.  It  is  by  this  Spirit  that  both  wisdom 
and  knowledge,  and  faith,  and  miracles,  and  tongues,  and 
prophecies,  are  obtained,  1  Cor.  xii.  P,  9,  10.  It  is  by 
this  Spirit  that  we  are  "  all  baptized  into  one  body,"  ver. 
13.  In  short,  what  thing  relating  to  the  salvation  of  the 
soul,  and  to  the  life  of  a  Christian,  is  rightly  performed,  or 
eflectuMly  obtained,  without  it?  And  what  shall  I  say 
moie  .''  For  the  time  would  fail  ine  to  tell  of  all  those  things 


52 


PROPOSITION  II. 


which  the  loly  men  of  old  have  declared,  aiil  the  saints 
of  this  day  do  themselves  enjoy,  by  the  virtue  and  power 
of  this  Spirit  dwelling  in  them.  Truly  my  paper  could  not 
contain  the  many  testimonies  whereby  this  truth  is  con- 
firmed ;  wherefore,  besides  what  is  above  mentioned  out 
of  the  fathers,  whom  all  pretend  to  reverence,  and  those 
of  Luther  and  Melancthon,  I  shall  deduce  yet  one  observ- 
able testimony  out  of  Calvin,  because  not  a  few  of  the  fol- 
lowers of  his  doctrine  do  refuse  and  deride  (and  that,  as  it 
is  to  be  feared,  because  of  their  own  non-experience  there- 
of) this  way  of  the  Spirit's  indwelling,  as  uncertain  and 
dangerous  ;  that  so,  if  neither  the  testimony  of  the  scrip- 
ture, nor  the  sayings  of  others,  nor  right  reason  can  move 
them,  they  may  at  least  be  reproved  by  the  words  of  their 
own  master,  who  saith  in  the  third  boolc  of  his  institutions, 
cap.  2,  on  this  wise: 
Calvin,  of  "  But  they  allege.  It  is  a  bold  presumption  for  any  to 
ijl^ofThe* pretend  to  an  undoubted  knowledge  of  God's  will ;  which," 
Spirit's  in-  saith  he,  "I  should  grant  unto  them,  if  we  should  ascribe 

dwelling  in  ,  ,  ....  i        -i  i 

as  so  much  to  ourselves  as  to  subject  the  mcomprenensible 

counsel  of  God  to  the  rashness  of  our  understandings.  But 
while  we  simply  say  with  Paul,  that  '  we  have  received  not 
the  spirit  of  this  world,  but  the  Spirit  which  is  of  God,'  by 
whose  teaching  we  know  those  things  that  are  given  us  of 
God,  what  can  they  prate  against  it  without  reproaching 
the  Spirit  of  God  ?  For  if  it  be  an  horrible  sacrilege  to  ac- 
cuse any  revelation  coming  from  him,  either  of  a  lie,  of 
uncertainty  or  ambiguity,  in  asserting  its  certainty  wherein 
do  we  offend }  But  they  cry  out.  That  it  is  not  without 
great  temerity  that  we  dare  so  boast  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ. 
Who  would  believe  that  the  sottishness  of  these  men  were 
so  great,  who  would  be  esteemed  the  masters  of  the  world, 
that  they  should  so  fail  in  the  first  principles  of  religion 
Verily  I  could  not  believe  it,  if  their  own  writings  did  not 
testify  so  much.  Paul  accounts  those  the  sons  of  God, 
who  are  actuated  by  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  but  these  will  have 
the  children  of  God  actuated  by  their  own  spirits  without 
the  Sp  rit  of  God.    He  will  have  us  call  God  Father,  the 


OK   IMMEDIATK  REVELATION. 


53 


Spirit  d''.'f>'f'ng  that  term  unto  us,  whicli  only  can  witness 
to  our  spirits  that  we  are  the  sons  of  God.  These,  though 
they  cease  not  to  call  upon  God,  do  nevertheless  dismiss 
the  Spirit,  by  whose  guiding  he  is  rightly  to  he  called 
upon.  He  denies  them  to  be  the  sons  of  God,  or  the 
servants  of  Christ,  who  are  not  led  by  his  Spirit ;  but  these 
feign  a  Christianity  that  needs  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ.  He 
takes  away  the  hope  of  a  blessed  resurrection,  unless  we 
feel  the  Spirit  residing  in  us;  but  these  feign  a  hope  with- 
out any  such  feeling;  but  perhaps  they  will  answer,  that 
they  deny  not  but  that  it  is  necessary  to  have  it,  only  of 
modesty  and  humility  we  ought  to  deny  and  not  acknow- 
ledge it.  What  means  he  then,  when  he  commands  the 
Corinthians  to  try  themselves,  if  they  be  in  the  faith  ;  to 
examine  themselves,  whether  they  have  Christ,  whom  who 
soever  acknowledges  not  dwelling  in  him,  is  a  reprobate.'' 
'  By  the  Spirit  which  he  hath  given  us,'  saith  John,  '  we 
know  that  he  abideth  in  us.'  And  what  do  we  then  else 
but  call  in  (juestion  Christ's  promise,  while  we  would  be 
esteemed  the  servants  of  God  without  his  Spirit,  which  he 
declared  he  would  pour  out  upon  all  his?  Seeing  these 
things  are  the  first  grounds  of  piety,  it  is  miserable  blind- 
ness to  accuse  Christians  of  pride,  because  they  dare  glory  Without 
of  the  presence  of  the  Spirit ;  without  which  glorying,  presence'  * 

Christianity  itself  could  not  be.   But  by  their  example  they  Christian- 

.  .        f  y  ity  must 

declare,  how  truly  Christ  spake,  saying.  That  his  Spirit  cease. 

was  unknown  to  the  world,  and  that  those  only  acknow- 
ledge it,  with  whom  it  remains."    Thus  far  Calvin. 

If  therefore  it  be  so,  why  should  any  be  so  foolish  as  to 
deny,  or  so  unwise  as  not  to  seek  after  this  Spirit,  which 
Chtist  hath  promised  shall  dwell  in  his  children  ?  They 
then  that  do  suppose  the  indwelling  and  leading  of  his 
Spirit  to  be  ceased,  must  also  suppose  Christianity  to  be 
ceased,  which  cannot  subsist  without  it. 

Thirdly,  What  the  work  of  this  Spirit  is,  is  partly  before  wlmt^sthc 
sliown,  which  Christ  compriseth  in  two  or  three  things,  g^^U?*^'''* 
"He  will  guide  you  into  all  truth  ;"  "He  will  teach  you  John  xvi. 
all  things,  and  bring  all  things  to  your  reniembrajicc."  26 


54 


PROPOSITION  II. 


Since  Christ  liath  provided  for  us  so  good  an  instructor, 
why  need  we  then  lean  so  much  to  those  traditions  and 
commandments  of  men  wlierewith  so  many  Christians  have 
burtlioned  themselves?  Why  need  we  set  up  our  own 
Tho  Spirit  Carnal  and  corrupt  reason  for  a  guide  to  us  in  matters  spi- 
Jit  guide  ritual^  as  some  will  needs  do  ?  May  it  not  be  com- 
plained of  all  such,  as  the  Lord  did  of  old  concerning  Is- 
rael by  the  prophets,  Jer.  ii.  13:  "For  my  people  have 
committed  two  evils,  they  have  forsaken  me,  the  fountain 
of  living  waters,  and  hewed  them  out  cisterns,  broken  cis- 
terns, that  can  hold  no  water?"  Have  not  many  forsaken, 
do  not  many  deride  and  reject,  this  inward  and  immediate 
guide,  this  Spirit  that  leads  into  all  truth,  and  cast  up  to 
themselves  other  ways,  broken  ways  indeed,  which  have 
not  all  this  while  brought  them  out  of  the  flesh,  nor  out  of 
the  world,  nor  from  under  the  dominion  of  their  own  lusts 
and  sinful  affections,  whereby  truth,  which  is  only  rightly 
learned  by  this  Spirit,  is  so  much  a  stranger  in  the  earth  ? 

From  all  then  that  hath  been  mentioned  concerning  this 
promise,  and  these  words  of  Christ,  it  will  follow,  that 
A  perpe-    Christians  are  always  to  be  led  inwardly  and  immediately 
nance^o     by  the  Spirit  of  God  dwelling  in  them,  and  that  the  same 
,  is  a  standinc:  and  perpetual  ordinance,  as  well  to  the  church 

church  and  .  .  ... 

people.  in  general  in  all  ages,  as  to  every  individual  member  in 
particular,  as  appears  from  this  argument : 

The  promises  of  Christ  to  his  children  are  Yea  and  Amen, 
and  cannot  fail,  but  must  of  necessity  be  fulfdled. 

But  Christ  hath  promised,  that  the  Comforter,  the  Holy 
Ghost,  the  Spirit  of  truth,  shall  abide  with  his  children  for 
ever ;  shall  dwell  with  them,  shall  be  in  them,  shall  leaa 
them  into  all  truth,  shall  teach  them  all  things,  and  bring 
all  things  to  their  remembrance: 

Therefore  the  Comforter,  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  Spirit  of 
truth,  his  abiding  with  his  children,  &c.,  is  Yea  and 
Amen,  &c. 

Again  :  No  man  is  redeemed  from  the  carnal  mind,  which 
is  at  enmity  with  God,  which  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of 
God,  neither  can  be:  no  man  is  yet  in  the  Spirit,  but  in 


OF  IMMEDIATE  REVELATION. 


the  flesh,  oiiJ  cannot  please  God,  except  he  in  whom  the 
Spirit  of  God  dwells. 

But  every  true  Christian  is  in  measure  redeemed  from 
the  carnal  mind,  is  gathered  out  of  the  enmity,  and  can  be 
subject  to  the  law  of  God  ;  is  out  of  the  flesh,  and  in  the 
Spirit,  the  Spirit  of  God  dwelling  in  him. 

Therefore  every  true  Christian  hath  the  Spirit  of  God 
iwelling  in  him. 

Again :  '<  Whosoever  hath  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  is 
none  of  his  ;"  that  is,  no  child,  no  friend,  no  disciple  of 
Christ. 

But  every  true  Christian  is  a  child,  a  friend,  a  disciple 
of  Christ : 

Therefore  every  true  Christian  hath  the  Spirit  of  Christ. 

Moreover:  Whosoever  is  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
ii\  him  the  Spirit  of  God  dwelleth  and  abideth. 

But  every  true  Christian  is  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost : 

Therefore  in  every  true  Christian  the  Spirit  of  God 
dwelleth  and  abideth. 

But  to  conclude  :  He  in  whom  the  Spirit  of  God  dwell- 
eth, it  is  not  in  iiim  a  lazy,  dumb,  useless  thing  ;  but  it 
moveth,  actuateth,  governeth,  instructeth,  and  teacheth  him 
all  things  whatsoever  are  needful  for  him  to  know  ;  yea, 
bringeth  all  things  to  his  remembrance. 

But  the  Spirit  of  God  dwelleth  in  every  true  Christian : 

Therefore  the  Spirit  of  God  leadeth,  instructeth,  and 
teacheth  every  true  Christian  whatsoever  is  needful  for  him 
to  know, 

§  XI.  But  there  are  some  that  will  confess.  That  the  (>p.jec7 
Spirit  doth  now  lead  and  influence  the  saints,  but  that  he 
doth  it  only  subjectively,  or  in  a  blind  manner,  by  enlight- 
ening their  understandings,  to  understand  and  believe  the 
truth  delivered  in  the  scriptures  ;  but  not  at  all  by  pre- 
senting those  truths  to  the  mind  by  way  of  object,  and  this 
they  call.  Medium  incognitum  assetUiendi,  as  that  of  whose 
working  a  man  is  not  sensible. 

This  opinion,  tliough  somewhat  more  tolerable  than  tlie  Awsw 


56 


PROPOSITION  II. 


former,  is  nevertheless  not  altogether  according  to  truth, 
neither  doth  it  reach  the  fulness  of  it. 
Arg.  1  1,  Because  there  be  many  truths,  which  as  they  aie  ap- 

plicable to  particulars  and  individuals,  and  most  needful  to 
be  known  by  them,  are  in  nowise  to  be  found  in  the  scrip- 
ture, as  in  the  following  proposition  shall  be  shown. 

Besides,  the  arguments  already  adduced  do  prove,  that 
the  Spirit  doth  not  only  subjectively  help  us  to  discern 
truths  elsewhere  delivered,  but  also  objectively  present 
those  truths  to  our  minds.  For  that  which  teacheth  me  all 
things,  and  is  given  me  for  that  end,  without  doubt  pre- 
sents those  things  to  my  mind  which  it  teacheth  me.  It  is 
not  said,  It  shall  teach  you  how  to  understand  those  things 
that  are  written ;  but.  It  shall  teach  you  all  things.  Again, 
That  which  bringeth  all  things  to  ray  remembrance,  must 
needs  present  them  by  way  of  object ;  else  it  were  im- 
proper to  say.  It  brought  them  to  my  remembrance ;  but 
only,  that  it  helpeth  to  remember  the  objects  brought  from 
elsewhere. 

Arg.  8.  My  second  argument  shall  be  drawn  from  the  nature  of 

the  new  covenant ;  by  which,  and  those  that  follow,  I  shall 
prove  that  we  are  led  by  the  Spirit  both  immediately  and 
objectively.    The  nature  of  the  new  covenant  is  expressed 
in  divers  places  ;  and 
Proof  1.         First,  Isa.  lix.  21,  <«  As  for  me,  this  is  my  covenant  wivh 
them,  saith  the  Lord  ;  My  Spirit  that  is  upon  thee,  and  n.y 
words  which  I  have  put  in  thy  mouth,  shall  not  depart 
out  of  thy  mouth,  nor  out  of  the  mouth  of  thy  seed,  nor 
out  of  the  mouth  of  thy  seed's  seed,  saith  the  Lord,  from 
The  lead-   henceforth  and  for  ever."  By  the  latter  part  of  this  is  suffi- 
Spirh*^  ''"^  t^iently  expressed  the  perpetuity  and  continuance  of  this 
promise,  "  It  shall  not  depart,  saith  the  Lord,  from  hence- 
forth and  for  ever."    In  the  former  part  is  the  promise 
itself,  which  is  the  Spirit  of  God  being  upon  them,  and  the 
words  of  God  being  put  into  their  mouths. 
I.  Immn-       First,  This  was  immediate,  for  there  is  no  mention  made 
oktely.  medium;  he  saith  not,  I  shall  oy  the  means  of  such 

and  such  writings  or  books,  convey  such  and  such  word.s 


Of  IMMEDIATE  REVELATION. 


jito  your  mouths ;    but  My  words,  I.  even  I,  saith  the 
Lord,  have  put  into  your  mouths. 

Secondly,  This  must  be  objectively ;  for  the  words  put  2.  Objcc- 
into  the  mouth,  are  the  object  presented  by  him.  He  saith 
not,  The  words  which  ye  shall  see  written,  my  Spirit  shall 
only  enlighten  your  understandings  to  assent  unto  ;  but 
positively,  "My  words,  which  I  have  put  in  thy  mouth," 
kc.    From  whence  I  argue  thus : 

Upon  whomsoever  the  Spirit  remaineth  always,  and  put- 
teth  words  into  his  mouth,  him  doth  the  Spirit  teach 
immediately,  objectively,  and  continually. 

But  the  Spirit  is  always  upon  the  seed  of  the  righteous, 
and  putteth  words  into  their  mouths,  neither  departeth 
from  them  : 

Therefore  the  Spirit  teacheth  the  righteous  immediately, 
objectively,  and  continually. 

Secondly,  The  nature  of  the  new  covenant  is  yet  more  Proofs, 
amply  expressed,  Jer.  xxxi.  33,  which  is  again  repeated 
and  re-asserted  by  the  apostle,  Heb.  viii.  10,  11,  in  these 
words,  <<  For  this  is  the  covenant  that  I  will  make  with  the 
house  of  Israel,  after  those  days,  saith  the  Lord,  I  will  put 
my  laws  into  their  minds,  and  write  them  in  their  hearts, 
and  I  will  be  to  them  a  God,  and  they  shall  be  to  me  a 
people.  And  they  shall  not  teach  every  man  his  neigh- 
bour, and  every  man  his  brother,  saying,  Know  the  Lord ; 
for  all  shall  know  me,  from  the  least  to  the  greatest." 

The  object  here  is  God's  law  placed  in  the  heart,  and 
written  in  the  mind ;  from  whence  they  become  God's 
people,  and  are  brought  truly  to  know  him. 

In  this  then  is  the  law  distinguished  from  the  gospel ;  The  diflcr 
the  law  before  was  outward,  written  in  tables  of  stone,  but  fweenthe 
now  is  inward, written  in  the  heart:  of  old  the  people  de-  o^'t^ard 

&riQ  'TWftrrf 

pended  upon  their  priests  for  the  knowledge  of  God,  but  law 
now  they  have  all  a  certain  and  sensible  knowledge  of  Him  ; 
concerning  which  Augustine  speaketh  well,  in  his  book 
De  Litera  if  Spiritu ;  from  whom  Aquinas  first  of  all  seems 
to  have  taken  occasion  to  move  this  question,  Whether 
Ihe  new  law  be  a  written  law,  or  an  implanted  law Lex 


58 


PROPOSITION  IT. 


scripta,  vel  lex  indita  ?  Which  he  thus  resolves,  affirming 
that  the  new  law,  or  gospel,  is  not  properly  a  law  written, 
as  the  old  was,  but  Lex  indita,  an  implanted  law  ;  and  that 
the  old  law  wis  written  without,  but  the  new  law  is  written 
within,  on  th',*  table  of  the  heart. 

How  much  then  are  they  deceived,  who,  instead  of 
making  the  gospel  preferable  to  the  lavv,  have  made  the 
condition  of  such  as  are  under  the  gospel  far  worse  ?  For 
Tiie  gos|iel  no  doubt  it  is  a  far  better  and  more  desirable  thing  to  con- 
I'ion^more    verse  with  God  immediately,  than  only  mediately,  as  being 
fh*"^'*'ih*  I  f  ^"  higher  and  more  glorious  dispensation  ;  and  yet  these 
the  law.     men  acknowledge  that  many  under  the  law  had  imme- 
diate converse  with  God,  whereas  they  now  cry  it  is 
ceased. 

Again  :  Under  the  law  there  was  the  holy  of  holies,  into 
which  the  high  priest  did  enter,  and  received  the  word 
of  the  Lord  immediately  from  betwixt  the  cherubiras,  so 
that  the  people  could  then  certainly  know  the  mind  of  the 
Lord  ;  but  now,  according  to  these  men's  judgment,  we 
are  in  a  far  worse  condition,  having  nothing  but  the  out- 
ward letter  of  the  scripture  to  guess  and  divine  from  ;  con- 
cerning the  sense  or  meaning  of  one  verse  of  which,  scarce 
two  can  be  found  to  agree.  But  Jesus  Christ  hath  pro- 
raised  us  better  things,  though  many  are  so  unwise  as  not 
to  believe  him,  even  to  guide  us  by  his  own  unerring  Spi- 
rit, and  hath  rent  and  removed  the  veil,  whereby  not  only 
one,  and  that  once  a  year,  may  enter ;  but  all  of  us,  at  all 
times,  have  acces.*"  unto  him,  as  often  as  we  draw  near  unto 
him  wit'a  pure  hearts:  he  reveals  his  will  to  us  by  his  Spi- 
rit, and  writes  his  laws  in  our  hearts.  These  things  then 
being  thus  premised,  I  argue. 

Where  the  law  of  God  is  put  into  the  mind,  and  written 
m  the  heart,  there  the  object  of  faith,  and  revelation  of  the 
knowledge  of  God,  is  inward,  immediate,  and  objective. 

But  the  law  of  God  is  put  into  the  mind,  and  written 
in  the  heart  of  every  true  Christian,  under  the  new  cove- 
nant. 

Therefore  the  object  of  faith,  and  revelation  of  the 


OF  IMMEDIATE  REVELATION. 


59 


knowledge  of  God  to  every  true  Christian,  is  inward,  im- 
mediate, and  objective. 

The  assumption  is  the  express  words  of  scripture :  the 
proposition  then  must  needs  be  true,  except  that  which  is 
put  into  the  mind,  and  written  in  the  heart,  were  either  not 
inward,  not  immediate,  or  not  objective,  which  is  most 
absurd. 

§  XII.  The  third  argument  is  from  these  words  of  John,  Aig  3. 
1  John  ii.  ver.  27,  "But  the  anointing,  which  ye  have  re-  'riipanoim 
ceived  of  him,  abideth  in  you,  and  ye  need  not  that  any  JJJg,',^pj_"^ 
man  teach  you :  but  as  the  same  anointing  teacheth  you 
of  all  things,  and  is  truth,  and  is  no  lie ;  and  even  as  it 
hath  taught  you,  ye  shall  abide  in  him." 

First,  This  could  not  be  any  special,  peculiar,  or  extra-  1- 
ordinary  privilege,  but  that  which  is  common  to  all  the 
saints,  it  being  a  general  epistle,  directed  to  all  them  of 
that  age. 

Secondly,  The  apostle  proposeth  this  anointing  in  them,  ^  2. 
as  a  more  certain  touch-stone  for  them  to  discern  and  try 
seducers  by,  even  than  his  own  writings ;  for  having  in  the 
former  verse  said,  that  he  had  written  some  things  to  them 
concerning  such  as  seduced  them,  he  begins  the  next  verse, 
<<  I3ut  the  anointmg,"  &c.,  "  and  ye  need  not  that  any  man 
teach  you,"  &c.,  which  infers,  that  having  said  to  them 
what  can  be  said,  he  refers  them  for  all  to  the  inward 
anointing,  which  teacheth  all  things,  as  the  most  firm,  con- 
stant, and  certain  bulwark  against  all  seducers. 

And  lastly,  That  it  is  a  lasting  and  continuing  thing;  3. 
the  anointing  which  abideth.    If  it  had  not  been  to  abide 
in  them,  it  could  not  have  taught  them  all  things,  neither 
guarded  them  against  all  hazard.    From  which  I  argue 
thus. 

He  that  hath  an  anointing  abiding  in  him,  which  teach- 
eth him  all  things,  so  that  he  needs  no  man  to  teach  him, 
hath  an  inward  and  immediate  teacher,  and  hath  some 
things  inwardly  and  immediately  revealed  unto  him. 

But  the  saints  have  such  an  anointing 

Theiefore,  &c. 


60 


PROPOSITION  II. 


I  could  prove  this  doctrine  from  inaiiv  more  places  ol 
scripture,  which  for  brevity's  sake  I  omit ;  and  now  cora^ 
to  the  second  part  of  the  proposition,  where  the  objections 
usually  formed  against  it  are  answered. 
Object.  §  XIII.  The  most  usual  is.  That  these  revelations  an 
uncertain. 

Answ.  But  this  bespeaketh  much  ignorance  in  the  opposers. 

for  we  distinguish  between  the  thesis  and  the  hypothesis ; 

that  is,  between  the  proposition  and  supposition.  For  it  is 

one  thing  to  affirm,  that  the  true  and  undoubted  revelation 

of  God's  Spirit  is  certain  and  infallible ;  and  another  thing 

to  affirm,  that  this  or  that  particular  person  or  people  is  led 

infallibly  by  this  revelation  in  what  they  speak  or  write, 

because  they  affirm  themselves  to  be  so  led  by  the  inward 

and  immediate  revelation  of  the  Spirit.    The  first  is  only 

asserted  by  us,  the  latter  may  be  called  in  question.  The 

question  is  not  who  are  or  are  not  so  led  ?    But  whether 

all  ought  not  or  may  not  be  so  led  ? 

The  cer-        Seeing  then  we  have  already  proved  that  Christ  hath 

ih<?"spijit'8  promised  his  Spirit  to  lead  his  children,  and  that  every  one 

guidance  them  both  ought  and  may  be  led  by  it,  if  any  depart 
proved.  °  j     >  j  r 

from  this  certain  guide  in  deeds,  and  yet  in  words  pretend 
to  be  led  by  it  into  things  that  are  not  good,  it  will  not 
from  thence  follow,  that  the  true  guidance  of  the  Spirit  is 
uncertain,  or  ought  not  to  be  followed  ;  no  more  than  ii 
will  follow  that  the  sun  showeth  not  light,  because  a  blind 
man,  or  one  who  wilfully  shuts  his  eyes,  falls  into  a  ditch 
at  noon-day  for  want  of  light ;  or  that  no  words  are  spoken, 
because  a  deaf  man  hears  them  not ;  or  that  a  garden  full 
of  fragrant  flowers  has  no  sweet  smell,  because  he  that  ha.s 
lost  his  smelling  doth  not  smell  it ;  the  fault  then  is  in  the 
organ,  and  not  in  the  object. 

All  these  mistakes  therefore  are  to  be  ascribed  to  the 
weakness  or  wickedness  of  men,  and  not  to  that  Holy  Spi- 
rit. Such  as  bend  themselves  most  against  this  certain  and 
infallible  testimony  of  the  Spirit  use  commonly  to  allege 
the  example  of  the  old  Gnostics,  and  the  late  monstrous 
and  mischievous  actings  of  the  Anabaptists  of  Munster,  all 


OF  IMMEDIATE  REVELATION.  61 

which  toucheth  us  nothing  at  all,  neither  weakens  a  whit 
Dur  most  true  doctrine.  Wherefore,  as  a  most  sure  bul- 
wark against  'Such  kind  of  assaults,  was  subjoined  that 
other  part  of  our  proposition  thus:  Moreover  these  divine 
and  inward  revelations,  which  we  establish  as  absolutely 
necessary  for  the  founding  of  the  true  faith,  as  they  do  not 
so  neither  can  they  at  any  time  contradict  the  Scripture's 
testimony,  or  sound  reason. 

Besides  the  intrinsic  and  undoubted  truth  of  this  asser-  t^y  cxpc 
tion,  we  can  boldly  affirm  it  from  our  certain  and  blessed 
experience.  For  this  Spirit  never  deceived  us,  never  acted 
nor  moved  us  to  any  thing  that  was  amiss  ;  but  is  clear 
and  manifest  in  its  revelations,  which  are  evidently  dis- 
cerned by  us,  as  we  wait  in  that  pure  and  undefiled  light 
of  God,  that  proper  and  fit  organ  in  which  they  are  re- 
ceived.   Therefore  if  any  reason  after  this  manner. 

That  because  some  wicked,  ungodly,  devilish  men  have 
committed  wicked  actions,  and  have  yet  more  wickedly 
asserted,  that  they  were  led  into  these  things  by  the  Spirit 
of  God ; 

Therefore,  No  man  ought  to  lean  to  the  Spirit  of  God, 
ar  seek  to  be  led  by  it, 

I  utterly  deny  the  consequence  of  this  proposition,  which,  Theabsui 
were  it  to  be  received  as  true,  then  would  all  faith  in  God  conse- 
and  hope  of  salvation  become  uncertain,  and  the  Christian  Q"*^"<^^ 
religion  be  turned  into  mere  scepticism.     For  after  the 
same  manner  I  might  reason  thus : 

Because  Eve  was  deceived  by  the  lying  of  the  serpent ; 

Therefore  she  ought  not  to  have  trusted  to  the  promise 
of  God. 

Becau.<3c  the  old  world  was  deluded  by  evil  spirits; 

Therefoie  ought  neither  Noah,  nor  Abraham,  nor  Moses, 
lo  have  trusted  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord. 

Because  a  lying  spirit  spake  through  the  four  hundre-d 
prophets  that  persuaded  Ahab  to  go  up  and  fight  at  Raraotii 
Gilead  ; 

Therefore  the  testimony  of  the  true  Spirit  in  Micaiah  was 
incertain,  and  dangerous  to  be  followed. 
6 


62  PROPOSITION  n. 

• 

Bee;  ise  thero  were  seducing  spirits  crept  into  the  churct 
of  old  ; 

Therefore  it  was  not  good,  or  it  is  uncertain,  to  follow 
the  anointing,  which  taught  all  things,  and  is  truth,  and  is 
no  lie. 

Who  dare  say  that  this  is  a  necessary  consequence  ' 
Moreover,  not  only  the  faith  of  the  saints,  and  church  of 
God  of  old,  is  hereby  rendered  uncertain,  but  also  the 
faith  of  all  sorts  of  Christians  now  is  liable  to  the  like 
hazard,  even  of  those  who  seek  a  foundation  for  their  faith 
elsewhere  than  from  the  Spirit.  For  I  shall  prove  by  an 
inevitable  argument,  ab  incommodo,  i.  e.,  from  the  incon- 
veniency  of  it,  that  if  the  Spirit  be  not  to  be  followed  upon 
that  account,  and  that  men  may  not  depend  upon  it  as 
their  guide,  because  some,  while  pretending  thereunto, 
commit  great  evils;  that  then,  neither  tradition,  nor  the 
scriptures,  nor  reason,  which  the  Papists,  Protestants,  and 
Socinians  do  respectively  make  the  rule  of  their  faith,  are 
l.lnstancei  any  whit  more  certain.  The  Romanists  reckon  it  an  erroi 
Miradiiion.     celebrate  Easter  any  other  ways  than  that  church  doth. 

This  can  only  be  decided  by  tradition.  And  yet  the  Greek 
church,  which  equally  layeth  claim  to  tradition  with  herself, 
doth  it  otherwise.  Yea,  so  little  effectual  is  tradition  to  de- 
Eusel).  cide  the  case,  that  Polycarpus,  the  disciple  of  John,  and 
cles'.'  ifb.'v.  Anicetus,  the  bishop  of  Rome,  who  immediately  succeeded 
c.  26  them,  according  to  whose  example  both  sides  concluded 
the  question  ought  to  be  decided,  could  not  agree.  Here 
of  necessity  one  of  them  must  err,  and  that  following  tra- 
dition. Would  the  Papists  now  judge  we  dealt  fairly  by 
them,  if  we  should  thence  aver,  that  tradition  is  not  to  be 
regarded  ?  Besides,  in  a  matter  of  far  greater  importance 
the  same  difficulty  will  occur,  to  wit,  in  the  primacy  of  th( 
bishop  of  Rome  ;  for  many  do  affirm,  and  that  by  tradition, 
that  in  the  first  six  hundred  years  the  Roman  prelates  never 
assumed  the  title  of  Universal  Shepherd,  nor  were  acknow- 
ledged as  such.  And,  as  that  which  altogether  overturneth 
this  presidency,  there  aie  those  that  allege,  and  that  from 
tradition  also,  that  Peter  never  saw  Rome ;  and  that  there- 


OF  IMMKDIATK  RF.VKLAT1U^. 


63 


fore  the  bishop  of  Rome  c  annot  be  his  successor.  Wjuld 
you  Romanists  think  this  sound  reasoninji^,  [o  say  as  you 
d.)  ? 

Many  have  been  deceived,  and  erred  grievously,  in  trust- 
ing to  tradition  ; 

Therefore  we  ought  to  reject  all  traditions,  yea,  even 
those  by  wiiich  we  affirm  tlie  contrary,  and,  as  we  think, 
prove  the  truth. 

I^astly,  In  the  *  council  of  Florence,  the  chief  doctors  *  Cone, 
of  the  Romish  and  Greek  churches  did  debate  whole  ses-  5  deVreio- 
sions  long  concerning  the  interpretation  of  one  sentence  of  ^""IfFph 
the  council  of  Ephesus,  and  of  Epiphanius,  and  Basilius,  Act.  vi. 
neither  could  they  ever  agree  about  it.  12.  Conc. 

Secondly,  As  to  the  scripture,  the  same  difficidty  oc-  [g°2o^*^^^ 
curreth :  the  Lutherans  affirm  they  believe  consubstantia-  Cone.  Flor 
tion  by  the  scripture ;  which  the  Calvinists  deny,  as  that  i8o\  acq! 
which,  they  say,  according  to  the  same  scripture,  is  a  gro.ss 
error.    The  Calvinists  again  affirm  absolute  reprobation, 
which  the  Arminians  deny,  affirming  the  contrary  ;  wherein 
both  affirm  themselves  to  be  ruled  by  the  scripture  and  2- Of  scrip- 

tiiro. 

reason  in  the  matter.    Should  I  argue  thus  then  to  the 
Calvinists  ? 

Here  the  Lutherans  and  Armenians  grossly  err,  by  fol- 
lowing the  scripture  ; 

Therefore  the  scripture  is  not  a  good  nor  certain  rule ; 
and  e  contrario. 

Would  either  of  them  accept  of  this  reasoning  as  good 
and  sound What  shall  I  say  of  the  Episcopalians,  Pres- 
byterians, Independents,  and  Anabaptists  of  Great  Britain, 
wlio  are  continually  buffijting  one  another  with  the  scrip- 
tureTo  whom  the  same  argument  might  be  alleged, 
though  they  do  all  unanimously  acknowledge  it  to  be  the 
rule. 

And  Thirdly,  As  to  reason,  I  .shall  not  need  to  say  3 Ofieason. 
much  ;  for  whence  come  all  the  controversies,  contentions  bates  hcnc« 
and  debates  in  the  world,  but  because  every  man  thinks  f'''?'"^,''^' 

'  •'  twixt  the 

ne  follows  ri<rlit  reason.''    Hence  of  old  came  the  ianeles  old  and  lau 

between  ihe  Stoics,  Platonists,  Peripatetics,  Pythagoreans,  phers. 


04 


PUOPOSITION  II. 


Anabap- 
tists for 
their  wild 
practices, 
and  Protes- 
tants and 
Papists  for 
their  wars 
and  blood- 
ehed,  each 
pretending 
Bcripture 
tior  it. 


Tradition, 
scripture 
and  reason, 
made  a  co- 
ver for  per- 
Becution 
•ad  m  ir- 
der. 


and  Cynits,  as  of  late  betwixt  the  Aristotelians,  Carte- 
sians, and  other  naturalists  :  Can  it  be  thence  inferred,  or 
will  the  Socinians,  those  great  reasoners,  allow  us  to  con- 
clude, because  many,  and  those  very  wise  men,  have 
erred,  by  following,  as  they  supposed,  their  reason,  and 
that  with  what  diligence,  care  and  industry  they  could,  to 
find  out  the  truth,  that  therefore  no  man  ought  to  inal<<^ 
use  of  it  at  all,  nor  be  positive  in  what  he  knows  certainly 
to  be  rational  ?  And  thus  far  as  to  opinions ;  the  same  un- 
certainty is  no  less  incident  unto  those  other  principles. 

§  XIV.  But  if  we  come  to  practices,  though  I  confess  I 
do  with  my  whole  heart  abhor  and  detest  those  wild  prac- 
tices which  are  written  concerning  the  Anabaptists  of  Mun- 
ster  ;  I  am  bold  to  say,  as  bad,  if  not  worse  things,  have 
been  committed  by  those  that  lean  to  tradition,  scripture, 
and  reason :  wherein  also  they  have  averred  themselves  to 
have  been  authorized  by  these  rules.  I  need  but  mention 
all  the  tumults,  seditions,  and  horrible  bloodshed,  where- 
with Europe  hath  been  afflicted  these  divers  ages ;  in 
which  Papists  against  Papists,  Calvinists  against  Calvinists, 
Lutherans  against  Lutherans,  and  Papists,  assisted  by  Pro- 
testants, against  other  Protestants  assisted  by  Papists,  have 
miserably  shed  one  another's  blood,  hiring  and  forcing 
men  to  kill  each  other,  who  were  ignorant  of  the  quarrel, 
and  strangers  one  to  another:  all,  mean  while,  pretending 
reason  for  so  doing,  and  pleading  the  lawfulness  of  it  from 
scripture. 

For  what  have  the  Papists  pretended  for  their  many 
massacres,  acted  as  well  in  France  as  elsewhere,  but  tra- 
dition, scripture,  and  reason  ?  Did  they  not  say,  that  reason 
persuaded  them,  tradition  allowed  them,  and  scripturf 
commanded  them,  to  persecute,  destroy,  and  burn  here- 
tics, such  as  denied  this  plain  scripture.  Hoc  est  corpus 
meum,  This  is  my  body?  And  are  not  the  Protestants  as- 
senting to  this  bloodshed,  who  assert  the  same  thing,  and 
encourage  them,  by  burning  and  banishing,  while  their 
brethren  are  so  treated  for  the  same  cause .''  Are  not  the 
islands  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  yea,  and  all  the  Chris- 


OF  rMMEDlATE  REVELATION. 


66 


tian  world,  a  lively  example  hereof,  which  were  diver* 
years  together  as  a  theatre  of  blood  ;  where  man}  lost  their 
lives,  and  numbers  of  families  were  utterly  destroyed  and 
ruined  ?  For  all  which  no  other  cause  was  principally 
given,  than  the  precepts  of  the  scripture.  If  we  then  com- 
pare these  actings  with  those  of  Munster,  we  shall  not  find 
gieat  difference;  for  both  affirmed  and  pretended  they 
were  called,  and  that  it  was  lawful  to  kill,  burn,  and  de- 
stroy the  wicked.  We  must  kill  all  the  wicked,  said  those 
Anabaptists,  that  we,  that  are  the  saints,  may  possess  the 
earth.  We  must  burn  obstinate  heretics,  say  the  Papists, 
that  the  holy  church  of  Rome  may  be  purged  of  rotten 
members,  and  may  live  in  peace.  We  must  cut  off*  seduc- 
ing separatists,  say  the  Prelatical  Protestants,  who  trouble 
the  peace  of  the  church,  and  refuse  the  divine  hierarchy, 
and  religious  ceremonies  thereof.  We  must  kill,  say  the 
Calvinistic  Presbyterians,  the  Profane  Malignants.  who 
accuse  the  Holy  Consistorial  and  Presbyterian  government, 
and  seek  to  defend  the  Popish  and  Prelatic  hierarchy  ;  as 
also  those  other  sectaries  that  trouble  the  peace  of  our 
church.  What  difference  I  pray  thee,  impartial  reader, 
seest  thou  betwixt  these  ? 

If  it  be  said.  The  Anabaptists  went  without,  and  against  Object. 
the  authority  of  the  magistrate,  so  did  not  the  other ; 

I  might  easily  refute  it,  by  alleging  the  mutual  testimo-  Answ. 
nies  of  these  sects  against  one  another.    The  behaviour  of 
the  Papi.sts  towards  Henry  the  Third  and  Fourth  of  France ;  Examples 
their  designs  upon  James  the  Sixth  in  the  gunpowder  ^i^lUes*^ 
treason  ;  as  also  their  principle  of  the  Pope's  power  to 
depose  kings  for  the  cause  of  heresy,  and  to  absolve  their 
subjects  from  their  oath,  and  give  them  to  others,  proves 
it  against  them. 

And  as  to  the  Protestants,  how  much  their  actions  differ  Protestan 
from  those  other  above-mentioned,  may  be  seen  by  the  and*p"*r8e 

manv  conspiracies  and  tumults  which  they  have  been  active  cutionsin 
r        •oil        I  T-i     1      1         T     1  •  1     1       ,  Scotland, 
m,  boch  in  Scotland  and  England,  and  which  they  have  England, 

acted  within  these  hundred  years  in  divers  towns  and  pro-  fa"!^^"' 

vinces  of  the  Netherlands.  Have  they  not  oftentimes  sought, 


66 


PROPOSITION  II. 


not  only  from  the  Popish  magistrates,  bat  even  from  those 
that  had  begun  to  reform,  or  that  had  given  them  some 
liberty  of  exercising  their  religion,  that  they  mioht  only  be 
permitted,  without  trouble  or  hindrance,  to  exercise  their 
religion,  promising  they  would  not  hinder  or  molest  the 
Papists  in  the  exercise  of  theirs?  And  yet  did  they  not  oc 
the  contrary,  so  soon  as  they  had  power,  trouble  and  abuse 
those  fellow-citizens,  and  turn  them  out  of  the  city,  ana, 
which  is  worse,  even  such  who  together  with  them  had 
forsaken  the  Popish  religion  ?  Did  they  not  these  things  in 
many  places  against  the  mind  of  the  magistrates  ?  Have 
they  not  publicly,  with  contumelious  speeches,  assaulted 
their  magistrates,  from  whom  they  had  but  just  before  sought 
and  obtained  the  free  exercise  of  their  religion  ?  Repre- 
senting them,  so  soon  as  they  opposed  themselves  to  their 
hierarchy,  as  if  they  regarded  neither  God  nor  religion  ? 
Have  they  not  by  violent  hands  possessed  themselves  of 
the  Popish  churches,  so  called,  or  by  force,  against  the 
magistrates'  mind,  taken  them  away  ?  Have  they  not  turned 
out  of  their  office  and  authority  whole  councils  of  magis- 
trates, under  pretence  that  they  were  addicted  to  Popery? 
Which  Popish  magistrates  nevertheless  they  did  but  a  little 
before  acknowledge  to  be  ordained  by  God  ;  affirming 
ihemselves  obliged  to  yield  them  obedience  and  subjection, 
not  only  for  fear,  but  for  conscience'  sake  ;  to  whom  more- 
over the  very  preachers  and  overseers  of  the  reformed 
church  had  willingly  sworn  fidelity  ;  and  yet  afterwards 
have  they  not  said,  that  the  people  are  bound  to  force  a 
wicked  prince  to  the  observation  of  God's  word  ?  There 
are  many  other  instances  of  this  kind  to  be  found  in  the.ii 
histories,  not  to  mention  many  worse  things,  which  we 
know  to  have  been  acted  in  our  time,  and  which  for  bre- 
vity's sake  I  pass  by. 

Luiheran       J  miorht  say  much  of  the  Lutherans,  whose  tumultuous 

leditions  ....  . 

against  the  actions  against  their  magistrates  not  professing  the  Lutheran 

teachers!    profession,  are  testified  of  by  several  historians  worthy  of 

and  assault  credit.  Amonsf  others,  I  shall  propose  only  one  example 
upon  the  »  '  .   ^  r«    v  • 

Mwquis  of  to  the  reader's  consideration,  which  fell  out  *l  Berhn  in 


OK   IMMEDIATK  REVELATION. 


6 


the  year  1615:  "Where  the  seditious  inuhitude  of  the  Brandcn 
Lutheran  citizens,  being  stirred  up  by  the  daily  clamours  j'n^lifer*^* 
of  their  preachers,  did  not  only  with  violence  break  into  "'^"y- 
the  houses  of  the  reformed  teachers,  overturn  their  libraries, 
and  spoil  their  furniture  ;  but  also  with  reproachful  words, 
yea,  and  with  stones,  assaulted  the  Marquis  of  Branden- 
burg, the  Elector's  brother,  while  he  sought  by  smooth 
words  to  quiet  the  fury  of  the  multitude  ;  they  killed  ten 
of  his  guard,  scarcely  sparing  himself,  who  at  last  by  flight 
escaped  out  of  their  hands."  All  which  sufficiently  de- 
clares, that  the  concurrence  of  the  magistrate  doth  not  alter 
their  principles,  but  only  their  method  of  procedure.  So 
that  for  my  own  part,  I  see  no  difference  betwixt  the  act- 
ings of  those  of  Munster,  and  these  others,  whereof  the 
one  pretended  to  be  led  by  the  Spirit,  the  other  by  tradi- 
tion, scripture,  and  reason,  save  this,  that  the  former  were 
rash,  heady,  and  foolish,  in  their  proceedings,  and  there- 
fore were  the  sooner  brought  to  nothing,  and  so  into  con- 
tempt and  derision  :  but  the  other,  being  more  politic  anc 
wise  in  their  generation,  held  it  out  longer,  and  so  have 
authorized  their  wickedness  more,  with  the  seeming  autho- 
rity of  law  and  reason.  But  both  their  actings  being  equally 
evil,  the  difference  appears  to  me  to  be  only  like  that  which 
is  between  a  simple  silly  thief,  that  is  easily  catched,  and 
hanged  without  any  more  ado  ;  and  a  company  of  resolute 
bold  robbers,  who  being  better  guarded,  though  their  of- 
fence be  nothing  less,  yet  by  violence  do,  to  shun  the 
danger,  force  their  masters  to  give  them  good  terms. 

From  all  which  then  it  evidently  follows,  that  they  argue 
very  ill,  who  despise  and  reject  any  principle  because  men 
pretending  to  be  led  by  it  do  evil ;  in  case  it  be  not  the 
natural  and  consequential  tendency  of  that  principle  to  lead 
unto  those  things  that  are  evil. 

Again  :  It  doth  follow  from  what  is  above  asserted,  that 
if  the  Spirit  be  to  be  rejected  upon  this  account,  all  those 
other  principles  ought  on  the  same  account  to  be  rejected. 
And  for  my  part,  as  I  have  never  a  whit  the  lower  esteem 
cf  the  blessed  testimony  of  ihe  holy  scriptures,  nor  do  the 


PROPOSITION  II. 


less  respect  any  solid  tradition,  that  is  answerable  and 
cording  to  truth  ;  neither  at  all  despise  reason,  that  .loble 
Let  rone     and  excellent  faculty  of  the  mind,  because  wicked  raec 
cenainiy^of  ^^^'^  abused  the  name  of  them,  to  cover  their  wickedness, 
the  uner-    ^rij  deceive  the  simple  :  so  would  I  not  have  any  reject  oi 

ring  Spirit  .        '  .  .  .  . 

of  God,  be-  doubt  the  certainty  of  that  unerring  Spirit  which  God  hath 
^alse^p^e  given  his  children,  as  that  which  can  alone  guide  them  in  " 
enders  I     q\\  truth,  because  some  have  fidsely  pretended  to  it. 

§  XV.  And  because  the  Spirit  of  God  is  the  fountain  o' 
all  truth  and  sound  reason,  therefore  we  have  well  said, 
That  it  cannot  contradict  either  the  testimony  of  the  scrip- 
ture, or  right  reason  :  "  Yet,  as  the  proposition  itself  con- 
cludeth,  to  the  last  part  of  which  I  now  come,  it  will  not 
from  thence  follow,  that  these  divine  revelations  are  to  be 
subjected  to  the  examination  either  of  the  outward  testi- 
mony of  scripture,  or  of  the  human  or  natural  reason  of 
man,  as  to  a  more  noble  and  certain  ride  or  touchstone ; 
for  the  divine  revelation,  and  inward  illumination,  is  that 
which  is  evident  by  itself,  forcing  the  well-disposed  under- 
standing, and  irresistibly  moving  it  to  assent  by  its  own 
evidence  and  clearness,  even  as  the  common  principles  of 
natural  truths  do  bend  the  mind  to  a  natural  assent." 

He  that  denies  this  part  of  the  proposition  must  needs 
affirm,  that  the  Spirit  of  God  neither  can,  nor  ever  hath 
manifested  itself  to  man  without  the  scripture,  or  a  distinct 
discussion  of  reason  ;  or  that  the  efficacy  of  this  superna- 
tural principle,  working  upon  the  souls  of  men,  is  less  evi- 
dent than  natural  principles  in  their  common  operations ; 
both  which  are  false. 

For,  First,  Through  all  the  scriptures  we  may  observe, 
that  the  manifestation  and  revelation  of  God  by  his  Spiri! 
to  the  patriarchs,  prophets,  and  apostles,  was  immediate 
and  objective,  as  is  above  proved;  which  they  did  not  ex- 
arpMie  by  any  other  principle,  but  their  own  evidence  anti 
clearness. 

The  self-       Secondly,  To  say  that  the  Spirit  of  God  has  less  evj- 
ihtfsp'ir^it"*^  dence  upon  the  mind  of  man  than  natural  principles  have, 
is  to  have  too  mean  and  too  low  thoughts  of  it.  How 


OF  IMMKDIATE  REVELATION.  6f' 

comes  David  to  invite  us  to  taste  and  see  that  God  is  good, 
S  this  cannot  be  felt  and  tasted  ?  This  were  enough  to 
overturn  the  faith  and  assurance  of  all  the  saints,  both  now 
and  of  old.  How  came  Paul  to  be  persuaded,  that  nothing 
could  separate  him  from  the  love  of  God,  but  by  that  evi- 
dence and  clearness  which  the  Spirit  of  God  gave  him  ? 
The  apostle  John,  who  knew  well  wherein  the  certainty  of 
faith  consisted,  judged  it  no  ways  absurd,  without  further 
argument,  to  ascribe  his  knowledge  and  assurance,  and 
that  of  all  the  saints,  hereunto  in  these  words;  "Hereby 
know  we  that  we  dwell  in  him,  and  he  in  us,  because  he 
hath  given  us  of  his  Spirit,"  1  John,  iv.  13.  And  again, 
chap.  V.  ver.  6  :  "It  is  the  Spirit  that  beareth  witness,  be- 
cause the  Spirit  is  truth." 

Observe  the  reason  brought  by  him,  "Because  the  Spirit 
is  truth  ;"  of  whose  certainty  and  infallibility  I  have  here- 
tofore spoken.  We  then  trust  to  and  confide  in  this  Spirit, 
because  we  know,  and  certainly  believe,  that  it  can  only 
lead  us  aright,  and  never  mislead  us  ;  and  from  this  certain 
confidence  it  is  that  we  affirm,  that  no  revelation  coming  The  Spirit 
from  it  can  ever  contradict  the  scripture's  testimony  nor  g'^^jp** 
right  reason :  not  as  making  this  a  more  certain  rule  to  our-  ture  nor 
selves,  but  as  condescending  to  such,  who  not  discerning  "(fr!!' 
the  revelations  of  the  Spirit,  as  they  proceed  purely  from 
God,  will  try  them  by  these  mediums.  Yet  those  that  have 
their  spiritual  senses,  and  can  savour  the  things  of  the 
Spirit,  as  it  were  in  prima  instantia,  i.  e.,  at  the  ^irst  blush, 
can  discern  them  without,  or  before  they  apply  them  either 
lo  scripture  or  reason  ;  just  as  a  good  astronomer  can  cal-  Natural ue- 
»;  .late  an  eclipse  infallibly,  by  which  he  can  conclude,  if  tTo°ns^f"rom 

tlie  order  of  nature  continue,  and  some  strange  and  unna-  astronomy 
,  ...  -11  1  1-  ^  3nd  geom» 

tural  revolution  intervene  not,  there  will  be  an  eclipse  oi  try. 

the  sun  or  moon  such  a  day,  and  such  an  hour ;  yet  can  he 
not  persuade  an  ignorant  rustic  of  this,  until  he  visibly  sees 
it.  So  also  a  mathematician  can  infallibl}  know,  by  the 
rules  of  art,  that  the  three  angles  of  a  right  triangle  are 
equal  to  two  light  angles;  yea,  can  know  them  more  cer- 
tainly than  any  man  by  measure.    And  some  geometrical 


70 


PROPOSITION  II. 


demonstrations  are  by  all  acknowledged  to  be  infallible, 
which  can  be  scarcely  discerned  or  proved  by  the  senses, 
yet  if  a  geometer  be  at  the  pains  to  certify  some  ignorant 
man  concerning  the  certainty  of  his  art,  by  condescending 
to  measure  it,  and  make  it  obvious  to  his  senses,  it  will  not 
thence  follow,  that  that  measuring  is  so  certain  as  the  de 
monstration  itself,  or  that  the  demonstration  would  be  un- 
certain without  it. 

§  XVI.  But  to  make  an  end,  I  shall  add  one  argument 
to  prove,  that  this  inward,  immediate,  objective  revelation, 
which  we  have  pleaded  for  all  along,  is  the  only  sure,  cer- 
tain, and  unmovable  foundation  of  all  Christian  faith ; 
which  argument,  when  well  considered,  I  hope  will  have 
weight  with  all  sorts  of  Christians,  and  it  is  this : 
Immedian  That  which  all  professors  of  Christianity,  of  what  kind 
revelation   goever,  are  forced  ultimately  to  recur  unto,  when  pressed 

ilie  im-  '  . 

movable     to  the  last ;  that  for  and  because  of  which  all  other  founda- 
of  all  Chris-  tions  are  recommended,  and  accounted  worthy  to  be  be- 
tian  faiih.    jigved,  aud  without  which  they  are  granted  to  be  of  no 
weight  at  all,  must  needs  be  the  only  most  true,  certain, 
and  unmovable  foundation  of  all  Christian  faith. 

But  inward,  immediate,  objective  revelation  by  the 
Spirit,  is  that  which  all  professors  of  Christianity,  of  what 
kind  soever,  are  forced  ultimately  to  recur  unto,  &c. 
Therefore,  &c. 

The  proposition  is  so  evident,  that  it  will  not  be  denied ; 
the  assumption  shall  be  proved  by  parts. 
Papists'         And  first.  As  to  the  Papists,  they  place  their  foundation 
^oun  aiion  .^^  the  judgment  of  the  church  and  tradition.    If  we  press 
church  and  thg^  to  sav.  Why  they  believe  as  the  church  doth?  Their 

iradition,  j  i         j  j 

"hy  ?  answer  is.  Because  the  church  is  always  led  by  the  infalli- 
ble Spirit.  So  here  the  leading  of  the  Spirit  is  the  utmost 
foundation.  Again,  if  we  ask  them,  Why  we  ought  to  trust 
tradition  ?  They  answer.  Because  these  traditions  were 
delivered  us  by  the  doctors  and  fathers  of  the  church ; 
which  doctors  and  fathers,  by  the  revelation  of  tne  Holy 
Ghost,  commanded  the  church  to  observe  them.  Here 
again  all  ends  in  the  revelation  of  the  Spirit. 


OS"  IMMEDIATE  REVELATION. 


71 


And  for  the  Protestants  an^I  So(  nians,  both  which  ac-  Protestintr 

Knowledge  the  scriptures  to  be  the  foundation  and  rule  of  niansmake 

their  frith  ;  the  one  as  subjectively  influenced  by  the  Spirit  'hescnp- 

-1  1         1  ''""ss  their 

of  God  to  use  them,  the  other  as  nianagnig  them  with  and  ground  and 

by  th<  ir  own  reason  ;  ask  both,  or  either  of  them.  Why  '^[Jy^j'^"**"' 

(hty  t/ust  in  the  scriptures,  and  take  them  to  be  their  rule  ? 

'J'heir  answer  is.  Because  we  have  in  them  the  mind  of  God 

delivered  unto  us  by  those  to  whom  these  things  were  in- 

A^ardly,  immediately,  and  objectively  revealed  by  the  Spirit 

of  God  ;  and  not  because  this  or  that  man  wrote  them,  but 

because  the  Spirit  of  God  dictated  them. 

It  is  strange  then  that  men  should  render  that  so  uncer-  Christ.ane 

tair.  and  dangerous  to  follow,  upon  which  alone  the  certain  and"not*by 

ground  and  foundation  of  their  own  faith  is  built;  and  that  "a'ure.holc 
'  ^  '  .  revelation 

they  should  shut  themselves  out  from  that  holy  fellowship  ceased  con 

with  God,  which  only  is  enjoyed  in  the  Spirit,  in  which  we  gerlptu^e. 
are  commanded  both  to  walk  and  live. 

If  any  reading  these  things  find  themselves  moved,  by 
the  strength  of  these  scripture  arguments,  to  assent  and  be- 
lieve such  revelations  necessary,  and  yet  find  themselves 
strangers  to  them,  which,  as  I  observed  in  the  beginning, 
is  the  cause  that  this  is  so  much  gainsaid  and  contradicted, 
let  them  know,  that  it  is  not  because  it  is  ceased  to  become 
the  privilege  ol  every  true  Christian  that  they  do  not  feel 
it,  but  rather  because  they  are  not  so  much  Christians  by 
nature  as  byname  ;  and  let  such  know,  that  the  secret  light 
which  shines  in  the  heart,  and  rej)roves  unrighteousness,  is 
the  small  beginning  of  the  revelation  of  God's  Spirit,  which 
was  first  sent  into  the  world  to  reprove  it  of  sin,  John  xvi. 
8.  And  as  by  forsaking  iniquity  thou  comest  to  be  ac- 
quainted with  that  heavenly  voice  in  thy  heart,  thou  shalt 
feel,  as  the  old  man,  or  the  natural  man,  that  savoureth  not 
the  things  of  God's  kingdom,  is  put  off,  with  his  evil  and 
corrupt  affections  and  lusts  ;  I  say,  thou  shalt  feel  the  new 
man,  or  the  spiritual  birth  and  babe  raised,  which  hath  its 
spiritual  senses,  and  can  see,  feel,  taste,  handle,  and  smell 
tile  things  of  the  Spirit  ;  but  till  then  the  knowledge  of 
things  spiritual  is  but  as  an  historical  faith.    But  as  the 


72 


PROPOSITION  III. 


Wliowanie,  description  of  the  light  of  the  sun,  or  of  curious  colours  la 
seesmlt'ihc  ^  blind  man,  who,  though  of  the  largest  capacity,  cannot 
^''i-  so  well  understand  it  by  the  most  acute  and  lively  descrip- 
tion, as  a  child  can  by  seeing  them ;  so  neither  can  the 
natural  man,  of  the  largest  capacity,  by  the  best  words, 
even  scripture  words,  so  well  understand  the  mysteries  of 
God's  kingdom,  as  the  least  and  weakest  child  who  tasteth 
them,  by  having  them  revealed  inwardly  and  objectively  by 
the  Spirit. 

Wait  then  for  this  in  the  small  revelation  of  that  pure 
light  which  first  reveals  things  more  known ;  and  as  thou 
becomest  fitted  for  it,  thou  shall  receive  more  and  more, 
and  by  a  living  experience  easily  refute  their  ignorance, 
who  ask,  How  dost  thou  know  that  thou  art  actuated  by 
the  Spirit  of  God .''  Which  will  appear  to  thee  a  question 
no  less  ridiculous,  than  to  ask  one  whose  eyes  are  open, 
how  he  knows  the  sun  shines  at  noon-day?  And  though 
this  be  the  surest  and  most  certain  way  to  answer  all  objec- 
tions ;  yet  by  what  is  above  written  it  may  appear,  that  the 
mouths  of  all  such  opposers  as  deny  this  doctrine  may  be 
shut,  by  unquestionable  and  unanswerable  reasons. 


PROPOSITION  III. 

Concerning  the  Scriptures. 

From  these  revelations  of  the  Spirit  of  God  to  the  saints 
»  have  proceeded  the  Scriptures  of  Truth,  which  con- 

tain, 

I.  A  faithful  historical  account  of  the  actings  of  God's  peo- 
ple in  divers  ages  ;  with  many  singular  and  remarkable 
providences  attending  them. 

II.  A  prophetical  account  of  several  things,  whereof  some 
are  already  past,  and  some  yet  to  come. 

III.  A  full  and  ample  account  of  all  the  chief  principles  ot 
the  doctrine  of  Christ,  held  forth  in  divers  precious  de- 


OF  THE  SCRIPTURKS. 


73 


clarations,  exhortations  and  sentences,  which,  by  the 
moving  of  God's  Spirit,  were  at  several  times,  and  upon 
sundry  occasions,  spoken  and  written  unto  some  cliurches 
and  their  pastors. 
Nevertheless,  because  they  are  only  a  declaration  of  the 
fountain,  and  not  the  fountain  itself,  therefore  they  are 
not  to  be  esteemed  the  principal  ground  of  all  truth  and 
knowledge,  nor  yet  the  adequate  primary  rule  of  faith 
and  manners.  Yet  because  they  give  a  true  and  faithful 
testimony  of  the  first  foundation,  they  are  and  may  be 
esteemed  a  secondary  rule,  subordinate  to  the  Spirit, 
from  which  they  have  all  their  excellency  and  certainty : 
for  as  by  the  inward  testimony  of  the  Spirit  we  do  alone 
truly  know  them,  so  they  testify,  That  the  Spirit  is  that  John  xvi 
Guide  by  which  the  saints  are  led  into  all  Truth  ;  there-  Jfj;  '^14^ 
fore,  according  to  the  scriptures,  the  Spirit  is  the  first 
and  principal  leader.  Seeing  then  that  we  do  therefore 
receive  and  believe  the  scriptures  because  they  proceed- 
ed from  the  Spirit,  for  the  very  same  reason  is  the  Spirit 
more  originally  and  principally  the  rule,  according  to 
the  received  maxim  in  the  schools.  Propter  quod  unum- 
quodque  est  tale,  Mud  ipsum  est  magis  tale :  That  for 
which  a  thing  is  such,  that  thing  itself  is  more  such. 

§  I.  The  former  part  of  this  proposition,  though  it  needs 

no  apology  for  itself,  yet  it  is  a  good  apology  for  us,  and 

will  help  to  sweep  away  that,  among  many  other  calumnies, 

wherewith  we  are  often  loaded,  as  if  we  were  vilifiers  and 

deniers  of  the  scriptures ;  for  in  that  which  we  affirm  of 

Uiem,  it  doth  appear  at  what  high  rate  we  value  them,  ac-  The  holy 

counting  them,  without  all  deceit  or  equivocation,  the  most  j'hemol^t* 

excellent  writings  in  the  world  ;  to  which  not  only  no  other  excellent 
,  /•        1    1  ■      1-  wriliiigs  II 

wntmgs  are  to  be  preferred,  but  even  in  divers  respects  the  vrrld 
not  comparable  thereto.  For  as  we  freely  acknowledge 
that  their  authority  doth  not  depend  upon  the  approbation 
or  canons  of  any  church  or  assembly  ;  so  neither  can  we 
subject  them  to  the  fallen,  corrupt,  and  defiled  reason  of 
man  •  and  therein  as  we  do  freely  agree  with  the  Protestants 
7  K 


74 


PROPOSITION  III. 


against  the  error  of  the  Romanists,  so  on  the  other  h&iiil, 
we  cannot  go  the  length  of  such  Protestants  as  make  theii 
authority  to  aepend  upon  any  virtue  or  power  that  is  in  the 
writings  themselves ;  but  we  desire  to  ascribe  all  to  that 
Spirit  from  which  they  proceeded. 

We  confess  indeed  there  wants  not  a  majesty  in  the  style, 
a  coherence  in  the  parts,  a  good  scope  in  the  whole ;  but 
seeing  these  things  are  not  discerned  by  the  natural,  but 
only  by  the  spiritual  man,  it  is  the  Spirit  of  God  that  must 
give  us  that  belief  of  the  scriptures  which  may  satisfy  our 
consciences  ;  therefore  some  of  the  chief  among  Protestants, 
both  in  their  particular  writings  and  public  confessions,  are 
forced  to  acknowledge  this. 
Calvin's        Hence  Calvin,  though  he  saith  he  is  able  to  prove  that 
IhatThe"^    if  there  be  a  God  in  heaven,  these  writings  have  proceeded 
scripture's  from  him,  yet  he  concludes  another  knowledge  to  be  ne- 

ccrtainty  is  t      •     i-i     -i  a 

from  the     cessary.    Instit.  lib.  1,  cap.  7,  sect.  4. 

Spirit.  ,j       -^^51  s^\i\i  he,  "  we  lespect  the  consciences,  that 

they  be  not  daily  molested  with  doubts,  and  hesitate 
not  at  every  scruple,  it  is  requisite  that  this  persuasion 
which  we  speak  of  be  taken  higher  than  human  reason, 
judgment,  or  conjecture  ;  to  wit,  from  the  secret  testi- 
mony of  the  Spirit."  And  again,  "To  those  who  ask, 
that  we  prove  unto  them,  by  reason,  that  Moses  and  the 
prophets  were  inspired  of  God  to  speak,  I  answer.  That 
the  testimony  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  more  excellent  than  all 
reason."  And  again,  "Let  this  remain  a  firm  truth,  that 
he  only  whom  the  Holy  Spirit  hath  persuaded,  can  repose 
himself  on  the  scripture  with  a  true  certainty."  And 
lastly,  "This  then  is  a  judgment  which  cannot  be  begotten 
but  by  an  heavenly  revelation,"  &c. 

Tjieconfes-     The  same  is  also  affirmed  in  the  first  public  confession 

Fnmrh''"'  of  the  French  churches,  published  in  the  year  1559,  Art. 

churches.  4 .  u  \^'e  know  these  books  to  be  canonical,  and  the  most 
certain  rule  of  our  faith,  not  so  much  by  the  common  ac- 
cord and  consent  of  the  church,  as  by  the  testimony  and 
inward  persuasion  of  the  Holy  Spirit." 


OF  THE  SCRIPTURES. 


7C 


Thus  also  i    the  fifth  article  of  the  confession  of  faith,  Clmrches 
of  the  churches  of  Holland,  confirmed  by  the  Synod  of  assert  the 
Dort:  "  We  receive  these  books  only  for  holy  and  canoni-  same, 
cal — not  so  much  because  tlie  church  receives  and  ap- 
proves them,  as  because  the  Spirit  of  God  doth  witness  in 
our  hearts  that  they  are  of  God." 

And,  lastly,  The  divines,  so  called,  at  Westminster,  who  VVesimin- 
jegan  to  be  afraid  of,  and  guard  against  the  testimony  of  sJonthe*^^* 
the  Spirit,  because  they  perceived  a  dispensation  beyond  same, 
that  which  they  were  under  beginning  to  dawn,  and  to 
eclipse  them  ;  yet  could  they  not  get  by  this,  though  they 
have  laid  it  down  neither  so  clearly,  distinctly,  nor  honestly 
as  they  that  went  before.    It  is  in  these  words,  chap.  1. 
sec.  .5:  "Nevertheless,  our  full  persuasion  and  assurance 
of  the  infallible  truth  thereof,  is  from  the  inward  work  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  bearing  witness  by  and  with  the  Word  in 
our  hearts." 

By  all  which  it  appeareth  how  necessary  it  is  to  seek  the 
certainty  of  the  scriptures  from  the  Spirit,  and  no  where 
else.  The  infinite  janglings  and  endless  contests  of  those 
that  seek  their  authority  elsewhere,  do  witness  to  the  truth 
Hereof. 

For  the  ancients  themselves,  even  of  the  first  centuries,  Apocryph*. 
were  not  agreed  among  themselves  concerning  them  ;  while  Conc.Laod. 
some  of  them  rejected  books  which  we  approve,  and  others 
of  them  approved  those  which  some  of  us  reject.   It  is  not  163. 
unknown  to  such  as  are  in  the  least  acquainted  with  anti-  held'^in  ?he 
quity,  what  great  contests  are  concerning  the  second  epistle  y^j'  "^^^^ 
of  Peter,  that  of  James,  the  second  and  third  of  John,  and  from  the  ca- 
the  Revelations,  which  many,  even  very  ancient,  deny  to  "hevvls- 
have  been  written  by  the  beloved  disciple  and  brother  of  ^"'^  °^ 

T  1         <•    I  t  lomon,  Ju- 

James,  but  by  another  of  that  name.    What  should  then  dith,  To- 
become  of  Christians,  if  they  had  not  received  that  Spirit,  Maccabees 
and  those  spiritual  senses,  by  which  they  know  how  to  dis-  which  the 

counc"!  of 

cern  the  true  from  the  false  ?   It  is  the  privilege  of  Chri-st's  Carthage, 
sheep  indeed  that  they  hear  his  voice,  and  refuse  that  of  a  399!" 
stranger;  which  privilege  bting  taken  away,  we  are  left  a  receiffd. 
prey  lo  all  manner  of  wolves. 


76 


PROPOSITION  in. 


§  II.  Though  then  we  do  acknowledge  the  scriptures  to 
be  very  heavenly  and  divine  writings,  the  use  of"  them  to 
be  very  comfortable  and  necessary  to  the  church  of  Christ, 
and  that  we  also  admire  and  give  praise  to  the  Lord,  for 
his  wonderful  providence  in  preserving  these  writings  so 
pure  and  uncorrupted  as  we  have  them,  through  so  long  a 
night  of  apostacy,  to  be  a  testimony  of  his  truth  against 
the  wickedness  and  abominations  even  of  those  whom  he 
made  instrumental  in  preserving  them,  so  that  they  have 
The  S.rip-  kept  them  to  be  a  witness  against  themselves ;  yet  we  may 
not^fhe"^^     not  Call  them  the  principal  fountain  of  all  truth  and  know- 
principal     lediie,  nor  yet  the  first  adequate  rule  of  faith  and  manners ; 
ground  of  ,  ,  irr.. 

truth         because  the  pruicipal  lountam  oi  truth  must  be  the  iruth 

itself ;  i.  e.,  that  whose  certainty  and  authority  depends  not 
upon  another.  When  we  doubt  of  the  streams  of  any  river 
or  flood,  we  recur  to  the  fountain  itself;  and,  having  found 
it,  there  we  desist,  we  can  go  no  farther ;  because  there  it 
springs  out  of  the  bowels  of  the  earth,  which  are  inscrut- 
able. Even  so  the  writings  and  sayings  of  all  men  we 
must  bring  to  the  Word  of  God,  I  mean  the  Eternal  Word, 
and  if  they  agree  hereunto,  we  stand  there.  For  this  Word 
always  proceedeth,  and  doth  eternally  proceed  from  God, 
in  and  by  which  the  unsearchable  wisdom  of  God,  and  un- 
searchable counsel  and  will  conceived  in  the  heart  of  God, 
is  revealed  unto  us.  That  then  the  scripture  is  not  the 
principal  ground  of  faith  and  knowledge,  as  it  appears  by 
what  is  above  spoken,  so  it  is  proved  in  the  latter  part  of 
the  proposition,  which,  being  reduced  to  an  argument,  runs 
thus : 

That  whereof  the  certainty  and  authority  depends  upon 
another,  and  which  is  received  as  truth  because  of  its  pro- 
ceeding from  another,  is  not  to  be  accounted  the  principal 
ground  and  origin  of  all  truth  and  knowledge: 

But  the  scriptures'  authority  and  certainty  depend  upon 
the  Spirit  by  which  they  were  dictated  ;  and  the  reason  why 
they  were  received  as  truth  is,  because  they  proceeded  from 
the  Spirit: 

Therefore  they  art  not  the  principal  gDund  of  truth 


OF  THE  CCRIPTURKS. 


77 


To  confirm  this  argument,  I  udilod  llif  scliool  maxim: 
Propter  quod  unumquodque  est  tule,  illiid  ipmm  magis  est 
tale.  Which  maxim,  though  I  coiift'ss  it  doth  not  hold 
universally  in  all  things,  yet  in  tliis  it  doth  and  will  very 
well  hold,  as  by  applying  it,  as  we  have  above  intimated, 
will  appear. 

The  same  argument  will  hold  as  to  the  other  branch  of  lieitherar* 

the  proposition,  That  it  is  not  the  primary  adequate  rule  prfmary 

of  faith  and  manners  ;  thus  :  ''"'f 

....  aid  man- 

That  which  is  not  the  rule  of  my  faith  in  believing  the  ners. 

scriptures  themselves,  is  not  the  primary  adequate  rule  of 

faith  and  manners : 

But  the  scripture  is  not,  nor  can  it  be  the  rule  of  that 
faith  by  which  I  believe  them,  &c. 

Therefore,  &c. 

But  as  to  this  part,  we  shall  produce  divers  arguments  That  the 
hereafter.    As  to  what  is  affirmed,  that  the  Spirit,  and  not  fuie." 
the  scriptures,  is  the  rule,  it  is  largely  handled  in  the  former 
proposition  ;  the  sum  whereof  I  shall  subsume  in  one  argu- 
ment, thus  : 

If  by  the  Spirit  we  can  only  come  to  the  true  knowledge 
of  God  ;  if  by  the  Spirit  we  are  to  be  led  into  all  truth, 
and  so  bo  taught  of  all  things ;  then  the  Spirit,  and  not  the 
scriptures,  is  the  foundation  and  ground  of  all  truth  and 
knowledge,  and  the  primary  rule  of  faith  and  manners: 

But  the  first  is  true,  therefore  al.so  the  la.st. 

Next,  the  very  nature  of  the  gospel  itself  declareth  that 
the  scriptures  cannot  be  the  only  and  chief  rule  of  Chris- 
tians, else  there  should  be  no  difference  betwixt  the  law 
and  the  go.spel ;  as  from  the  nature  of  the  new  covenant, 
by  divers  scriptures  described  in  the  former  proposition,  is 
proved. 

But  besides  these  which  are  before  mentioned,  herein  Wherein 
doth  the  law  and  the  gospel  differ,  in  that  the  law,  being  lolperdtf* 
outwardly  written,  brings  under  condemnation,  but  hath 
not  life  in  it  to  save  ;  whereas  the  gospel,  as  it  declares  and 
makes  manifest  the  evil,  so,  being  an  inward  powerful 
thing,  it  gi'  es  power  also  to  obey,  and  delivers  from  the 
7* 


78 


PROPOSITION  III. 


evil.  Hence  it  is  called  EJafysXiov,  which  is  glad  tidings 
The  law  or  letter,  which  is  without  us,  kills  ;  but  the  gos- 
pel, which  is  the  inward  spiritual  law,  gives  life ;  for  it 
consists  not  so  much  in  words  as  in  virtue.  Wherefore 
such  as  coine  to  know  it,  and  be  acquainted  with  it,  come 
to  feel  greater  power  over  their  iniquities  than  all  outward 
laws  or  rules  can  give  them.  Hence  the  apostle  concludes, 
Roni.  vi.  14,  "  Sin  shall  not  have  dominion  over  you:  fo.« 
ye  are  not  under  the  law,  but  under  grace."  This  grace 
then  that  is  inward,  and  not  an  outward  law,  is  to  be  the 
rule  of  Christians.  Hereunto  the  apostle  commends  the 
elders  of  the  church,  saying.  Acts  xx.  32,  <<And  now, 
brethren,  I  commend  you  to  God,  and  to  the  word  of  his 
grace,  which  is  able  to  build  you  up,  and  to  give  you  an 
inheritance  among  all  them  which  are  sanctified."  He 
doth  not  commend  them  here  to  outward  laws  or  writings, 
but  to  the  word  of  grace,  which  is  inward  ;  even  the  spi- 
ritual law,  which  makes  free,  as  he  elsewhere  affirms,  Rom. 
viii.  2,  '<  The  law  of  the  Spirit  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus,  hath 
made  me  free  from  the  law  of  sin  and  death."  This  spiritual 
law  is  that  which  the  apostle  declares  he  preached  and 
directed  people  unto,  which  was  not  outward,  as  by  Rom. 
X.  8,  is  manifest ;  where  distinguishing  it  from  the  law,  he 
saith,  "  The  word  is  nigh  thee,  even  in  thy  mouth,  and  in 
thy  heart ;  that  is  the  word  of  faith  which  we  preach." 
From  what  is  above  said  I  argue  thus :  . 

The  principal  rule  of  Christians  under  the  gospel  is  not 
an  outward  letter,  nor  law  outwardly  written  and  delivered, 
but  an  inward  spiritual  law,  engraven  in  the  heart,  the  law 
of  the  Spirit  of  life,  the  word  that  is  nigh  in  the  heart  and 
m  the  mouth. 

But  the  letter  of  the  scripture  is  outward,  of  itself  a  deed 
thing,  a  mere  declaration  of  good  things,  but  not  the  things 
themselves : 

TheBi:ii|^  Therefore  it  is  not,  nor  can  be,  the  chief  or  principal  rule 
rule.         f>i  Christians. 

§  ni.  Thirdly,  That  which  is  given  to  Christians  for  a 
rule  and  guide,  must  needs  be  so  full,  that  it  may  clearly 


Cip  -HE  SCRIPTUBb-S. 

and  distinclL  g-uide  .  id  order  them  in  all  things  and  occur- 
rences that  n:iy  fall  oit. 

But  in\  tiia'.  there  ai'e  numberless  things,  with  regard  to 
their  circu.Tist4nces,  which  particular  Christians  may  be  con- 
cerned in  for  which  there  cfin  be  no  particular  rule  had  in 
the  scriptares ; 

Therefrre  the  scriptures  cannot  be  a  rule  to  them. 
I  shall  give  an  instance  in  two  or  three  particulars  to 
prove  nna  proposition.    Jt  is  not  to  be  doubted  but  some 
men  are  particularly  called  to  some  particular  services; 
their  being  i.ot  found  in  which,  though  the  act  be  no  ge- 
I  neral  positive  di.ty^  yet  in  so  far  as  it  may  be  required  of 
i  them,  is  a  great  sin  to  omit;  forasmuch  as  God  is  zealous 
I  of  his  glory,  and  everv  act  of  disobedience  to  his  will  ma- 
I  nifesled,  is  enough  riot  only  to  hinder  one  greatly  from 
that  comfort  and  inward  peace  which  otherwise  he  might 
have,  but  also  bringeth  condemnation. 

As  for  instance,  some  are  called  to  the  ministry  of  the 
word :  Paul  saith.  There  was  a  necessity  upon  him  to 
I  preach  the  gospel ;  wo  unto  me,  if  I  preach  not. 
I  If  it  be  necessary  that  there  be  now  ministers  of  the 
church,  as  well  as  then,  then  there  is  the  same  necessity 
upon  some,  more  than  upon  others  to  occupy  this  place ; 
which  necessity,  as  it  may  be  incumbent  upon  particular 
persons,  the  scripture  neither  doth  nor  can  declare. 

If  it  be  said.  That  the  qualifications  of  a  minister  are  Dbjici 
[j  found  in  the  scripture,  and  by  applying  these  qualifications 
to  myself,  I  may  know  whether  I  be  fit  for  such  a  place  or 

I  I  answer.  The  qualifications  of  a  bishop,  or  minister,  as  An<w. 
they  are  mentioned  both  in  the  epistle  to  Timothy  and 
Titus,  are  such  as  may  be  found  in  a  private  Christian  ; 
yea,  which  ought  in  some  measure  to  be  in  every  true 
Christian  :  so  that  this  giveth  a  man  no  certainty.  Every 
capacity  to  an  office  giveth  me  not  a  sufficient  call  to  it. 

Next  again,  By  what  rule  shall  I  judge  if  I  be  so  quali- 
fied ?  How  do  I  know  that  I  am  sol)er,  meek,  holy,  harm- 
less? Is  it  not  the  testimony  of  the  Spirit  in  my  conscience 


PROPOSITION   ...  Sfll 

that  must  assure  me  hereof?  And  s-ppo.se  tiat  I  was  qua- 
lified and  called,  yet  what  scriptun  rule  sha!  inform  me, 
whether  it  be  my  duty  to  preacl)  in  this  or  tia*.  place,  in 
France  or  England,  Holland  or  Ge^iiany  ?  Whtiher  I  shall 
take  up  my  time  in  confirminjj  the  faithful,  -eclaiming 
heretics,  or  converting  infidels,  as  also  in  writing  epistles 
to  this  or  that  church  ? 

The  general  rules  of  the  scripture,  viz.,  To  be  diligent 
in  my  duty,  to  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  f(n  the 
good  of  his  church,  can  give  me  no  light  in  this  thing. 
Seeing  two  different  things'may  both  have  a  espect  to  that 
way,  yet  may  I  commit  a  great  error  a.ir  offence  in  doing 
the  one,  when  I  am  called  to  the  other.  If  Paul,  when  his 
face  was  turned  by  the  Lord  toward  Jerusalem,  had  gone 
back  to  Achaia,  or  Macedonia,  he  m  .ght  have  supposed  he 
could  have  done  God  more  acceptable  service,  in  preach- 
ing and  confirming  the  churches,  than  in  being  shut  up  in 
prison  in  Judea  ;  but  would  God  have  been  pleased  here- 
with ?  Nay  certainly.  Obedience  is  better  than  sacrifice  ; 
and  it  is  not  our  doing  that  which  is  good  simply  that 
pleaseth  God,  but  that  good  which  he  willeth  us  to  do. 
Every  member  hath  its  particular  place  in  the  body,  as  the 
Apostle  showeth,  1  Cor.  xii.  If  then,  I  being  the  foot, 
should  offer  to  exercise  the  office  of  the  hand  ;  or  being  the 
hand,  that  of  the  tongue  ;  my  service  would  be  trouble- 
some, and  not  acceptable  ;  and  instead  of  helping  the  body, 
That  which  I  should  make  a  schism  in  it.    So  that  that  which  is  good 

i^SoodfoT  f  another  to  do,  may  be  sinful  to  me  :  for  as  masters  will 
one  to  do,  . 

maybe  sin-  have  their  servants  to  obey  them,  according  to  their  good 
ether.  pleasure,  and  not  only  in  blindly  doing  that  which  may 
seem  to  them  to  tend  to  their  master's  profit,  whereby  it 
may  chance,  the  master  having  business  both  in  the  field 
and  in  the  house,  that  the  servant  that  knows  not  his  mas- 
ter's will  may  go  to  the  field,  when  it  is  the  mind  of  the 
master  he  should  stay  and  do  the  business  of  the  house, 
would  not  this  servant  then  deserve  a  reproof,  for  not  an- 
swering his  master's  inind  ?  And  what  master  is  so  sottish 
and  careless,  as,  having  many  servants,  to  leave  them  in 


OF  THE  JCRIPTUHES. 


8 


sucl.  ais, icier  as  not  to  assign  each  his  particuhir  station, 
and  net  jnly  the  general  terms  of  doing  that  which  is  pro- 
fitablewiiich  would  leave  them  in  various  doubts,  and 
no  doUv't  end  in  confusion. 

Shall  we  then  dare  to  ascribe  unto  Christ,  in  the  order- 
ing of  his  church  and  servants,  that  which  in  man  might 
justl;  be  accounted  disorder  and  confusion?  The  apostle 
showeth  this  distinction  well,  Rom.  xii.  6,  7,  8,  "Having  Diversities 
tl  en  srifts  diflt-ring  according  to  the  grace  that  is  given  to 
us;  whether  prophecy,  let  us  prophesy  according  to  the 
proportion  of  faith ;  or  ministry,  let  us  wait  on  our  minis- 
tering ;  or  he  il^at  teacheth,  on  teaching ;  or  he  that  ex- 
horteth,  on  exhortation."  Now  what  scripture  rule  showeth 
me  that  I  ouo^ht  t->  exhort,  rather  than  prophesy?  or  to 
minister,  rather  liian  ^esich  ?  Surely  none  at  all.  Many 
more  difficulties  of  this  kind  occur  in  the  life  of  a  Chris- 
tian. 

Moreover,  that  which  of  all  things  is  most  needful  for  Offaithand 

him  to  know,  to  wit,  whether  he  really  be  in  the  faith,  and  H^The'^ 

an  heir  of  salvation,  or  not,  the  scripture  can  give  him  no  scriptuia 
•  1  ■    1  1  ,  ■  rin  •  assure 

certamty  m,  neither  can  it  be  a  rule  to  him.  Ihat  this  thee? 
knowledge  is  exceeding  desirable  and  comfortable  all  do 
unanimously  acknowledge  ;  besides  that  it  is  especially 
iommanded,  2  Cor.  xiii.  5,  "  Examine  yourselves,  whether 
ye  be  in  the  faith,  prove  your  own  selves;  know  ye  not 
your  own  selves,  how  that  Jesus  Christ  is  in  you,  except  ye 
be  reprobates?  And  2  Pet.  i.  10,  "Wherefore  the  rather, 
brethren,  give  diligence  to  make  your  calling  and  elec- 
tion sure."  Now  I  say,  What  scripture  rule  can  assure 
me  that  I  have  true  faith  ?  That  my  calling  and  election  is 
sure  ? 

If  it  be  said.  By  comparing  the  scripture  marks  of  true 
faith  with  mine  : 

I  demand,  Wherewith  shall  I  make  this  observation? 
What  shall  ascertain  me  that  I  am  not  mistaken  ?  It  cannot 
be  the  scrij)ture :  that  is  the  matter  under  debate. 

If  it  be  said,  My  own  heart: 

How  unfit  a  judge  is  it  in  its  own  case?   And  how  like 


82 


PROPOSITION  III. 


10  be  partial,  especially  if  it  bo  yet  unrenewed  ?  Joth  not 

Thehean   the  scripture  say,  that  "  it  is  deceitful  above  all  diinprs?^' 
ofmande  .        r  r    i    ,      ,  •  • 

eeitful.       1  nnU  the  promises,  1  had  the  threatenings,  in  ti":  scrip- 
ture ;  but  who  telleth  me  that  the  one  belongs  to  iro  more 
than  the  other?  The  scripture  gives  ine  a  mere  declaration 
of  these  things,  but  makes  no  application ;  so  that  the  as- 
♦  sumption  must  be  of  my  own  making,  thus;  as  for  exam- 

ple :  I  find  this  proposition  in  scripture  ; 

«'  He  that  believes,  shall  be  saved:"  thence  I  draw  the 
assumption.  jtfj 
But  I,  Robert,  believe  ;  ^ 
Therefore,  I  shall  be  saved. 

The  minor  is  of  my  own  making,  noi  expresseu  in  the 
scripture  ;  and  so  a  human  conclusion,  not  a  divine  posi- 
tion ;  so  that  my  faith  and  assurance  hcie  is  not  built  upon 
a  scripture  proposition,  but  upon  an  human  principle ; 
which,  unless  I  be  sure  of  elsewhere,  the  scripture  gives 
me  no  certainty  in  the  matter. 

Again,  If  I  should  pursue  the  argument  further,  and 
seek  a  new  medium  out  of  the  scripture,  the  same  difficulty 
would  occur :  thus. 

He  that  hath  the  true  and  certain  marks  of  true  faith, 
hath  true  faith : 

But  I  have  those  marks : 

Therefore  I  have  true  faith. 

For  the  assumption  is  still  here  of  my  own  making,  and 

is  not  found  in  the  scriptures;  and  by  consequence  the 

conclusion  can  be  no  better,  since  it  still  followeth  the 

weaker  proposition.    This  is  indeed  so  pungent,  that  the 

The  inward  best  of  Protestants,  who  plead  for  this  assurance,  ascribe 

onhe^Sprnt  it  ^0  the  inward  testimony  of  the  Spirit ;  as  Calvin,  in  that 

the  seal  of  j^pfre  citation,  cited  in  the  former  proposition.    So  that, 
Bcnpture  '  . 

promises,  not  to  seek  farther  into  the  writings  of  the  primitive  Pro- 
testants, which  are  full  of  such  expressions,  even  the  West- 
minster confession  of  faith  affirmeth,  chap,  xviii,  sect.  12, 
"  This  certainty  is  not  a  bare  conjecture  and  probable  pel- 
suasion,  grounued  upon  fallible  hope,  but  an  infallible 
assurance  of  faith,  founded  upon  the  divine  truth  of  the  . 


IIF  THK  SCRIPTURES. 


83 


•^-.'■rnise  f  salvation  ;  tlie  inward  evidences  of  these  graces, 
untrt  vbich  these  promises  are  made  ;  the  testimony  of  the 
Spirit  of  adoj  tion,  witnessing  to  our  spirits  that  we  are  the 
children  of  God  ;  which  Spirit  is  the  earnest  of  our  in- 
heritance whereby  we  are  sealed  to  the  day  of  redemp- 
tion." 

Moreover,  the  scripture  itself,  wherein  we  are  so  ear- 
nestly pressed  to  seek  after  this  assurance,  doth  not  at  all 
affirm  itself  a  rule  sufficient  to  give  it,  but  wholly  ascribeth 
it  to  the  Spirit,  as  Rom.  viii.  16,  "The  Spirit  itself  beareth 
witness  with  our  spirit,  that  we  are  the  children  of  God." 
1  .Tohn  iv.  13,  "Hereby  know  we  that  we  dwell  in  him, 
and  he  in  us,  because  he  hath  given  us  of  his  Spirit;" 
and  chap.  v.  6,  "  And  it  is  the  Spirit  that  beareth  witness, 
because  the  Spirit  is  truth." 

§  IV.   Lastly,  That  cannot  be  the  only,  principal,  nor  That  the 
chief  rule,  which  doth  not  universally  reach  every  indivi-  are  noi'^th* 
dual  that  needeth  it,  to  produce  the  necessary  etiect ;  and  chief  rule 
from  the  use  of  which,  either  by  some  innocent  and  sinless 
defect,  or  natural  yet  harndess  and  blameless  imperfection, 
many  who  are  within  ihe  compass  of  the  visible  church, 
and  may,  without  absurdity,  yea,  with  great  probability, 
be  accounted  of  the  elect,  are  necessarily  excluded,  and 
that  either  wholly,  or  at  least  from  the  immediate  use 
thereof.    But  it  so  falls  out  frequently  concerning  the 
scriptures,  in  the  case  of  deaf  people,  chddren,  and  idiots,  i.Deafpeo 
who  can  by  no  means  have  the  benefit  of  the  scriptures.  R'^'  '^'''K 

•'  _  '  dren,  and 

Shall  we  then  affirm,  that  they  are  w-ithout  any  rule  to  God-  idiots  in- 
ward, or  that  they  are  all  damned .''  As  such  an  opinion  is 
in  itself  very  absurd,  and  inconsistent  both  with  the  justice 
and  mercy  of  God,  so  I  know  no  sound  reason  can  be 
alleged  for  it.  Now  if  we  may  suppose  any  such  to  be 
under  tlie  new  covenant  dispensation,  as  I  know  none  will 
deny  but  that  we  may  suppose  it  without  any  absurdity. 
We  cannot  suppose  them  without  some  rule  and  means  of 
knowledge  ;  seeing  It  is  expressly  affirmed,  "  They  shall 
be  all  taught  of  God,"  John  vi.  45.  "  For  all  shall  know 
roe  from  the  least  to  the  greatest,"  Heb.  viii.  11.  But 


84 


PROPOSITION  III. 


secdiiilly,  Though  we  were  rid  of  this  difficulty,  how  tnary 
illiterate  and  yet  good  men  are  there  in  the  church  of  i'od, 
who  cannot  read  a  letter  in  their  own  mother  tongiie? 
Which  imperfection,  though  it  be  inconvenient,  I  cannot 
tell  whether  we  may  safely  affirm  it  to  be  sinful.  These 
can  have  no  immediate  knowledge  of  the  rule  of  Uiei. 
faith  ;  so  their  faith  must  needs  depend  upon  the  credit  of 
other  men's  reading  or  relating  it  unto  them  ;  where  either 
the  altering,  adding,  or  omitting  of  a  little  word  may  be  a 
foundation  in  the  poor  hearer  of  a  very  dangerous  mistake, 
whereby  he  may  either  continue  in  some  iniquity  ignorant- 

2.  Papists  ly,  or  believe  a  lie  confidently.  As  for  example.  The 
second  Papists  in  all  their  catechisms,  and  public  exercises  of  ex- 
command-  aminations  towards  the  people,  have  boldly  cut  away  the 

ment  troni  .  . 

the  people,  second  Command,  because  it  seems  so  expressly  to  strike 
against  their  adoration  and  use  of  images;  whereas  many 
of  these  people,  in  whom  by  this  omission  this  false  opinion 
is  fostered,  are  under  a  simple  impossibility,  or  at  least  a 
very  great  difficulty,  to  be  outwardly  informed  of  this 
abuse.  But  further ;  suppose  all  could  read  the  scriptures 
in  their  own  language  ;  where  is  there  one  of  a  thousand 
that  hath  that  thorouoh  knowledge  of  the  orimnal  lanouaws 
in  which  they  are  written,  so  as  in  that  respect  immediately 

3.  The  uii-  to  receive  the  benefit  of  them?  Must  not  all  these  here 
certainty  ot  i      •  ,  p  i  r   \  • 

the  inter-    depend  upon  the  honesty  and  faithfulness  of  the  mterpre- 

["iie'scrip^  ters  ?  Which  how  uncertain  it  is  for  a  man  to  build  his 
ture,  and    faith  upon,  the  many  corrections,  amendments,  and  various 

Iheir  adul-  ,  •  ,  ^  ,  ,  , 

•crating  it  essays,  which  even  among  rrotestants  have  been  usetl, 
whereof  the  latter  have  constantly  blamed  and  corrected 
the  former,  as  guilty  of  defects  and  errors,  doth  sufficiently 
declare.  And  that  even  the  last  translations  in  the  vulgar 
languages  need  to  be  corrected,  as  I  could  prove  at  large, 
were  it  proper  in  this  place,  learned  men  do  confess. 

But  last  of  all,  there  is  no  less  difficulty  occurs  even  to 
those  skilled  in  the  original  languages,  who  cannot  so  im 
mediately  receive  the  mind  of  the  authors  in  these  writings, 
as  that  their  faith  doth  not  at  least  obliquely  depend  upon 
the  honesty  and  credit  of  the  transcribers,  since  the  origi- 


OF  THE  SCRIPTURES. 


85 


nal  copies  arc  granted  by  all  not  to  be  now  extant.  Of 
which  transcribers  Jerome  in  his  time  complained,  saying.  Hionm. 
That  Ihey  wrote  not  what  they  found,  but  what  they  under-  |fj"Luc?n." 
stood.    And  Epiphanius  saith.  That  in  the  good  and  cor-  P-  247. 
rect  copies  of  Luke  it  was  written,  that  Christ  wept,  and  Epiph.  in 
that  Irenaeus  doth  cite  it ;  but  that  the  Catholics  blotted  it  ,'^",f.3''°per. 
Du*,  fearing  lest  heretics  should  have  abused  it.  Other 
fat'.iers  also  declare,  That  whole  verses  were  taken  out  of 
Mark,  because  of  the  Manichees. 

But  further,  the  various  readings  of  the  Hebrew  cha-  Theyariout 
racter  by  reason  of  the  points,  \\iiich  some  plead  for,  as  [helHelfrcii 
coeval  with  the  first  writings,  which  others,  with  no  less  cnaracter, 
probability,  allege  to  be  a  later  invention  ;  the  disagreement 
->{  divers  citations  of  Christ  and  the  apostles  with  those 
passages  in  the  Old  Testament  they  appeal  to  ;  the  great 
controversy  among  the  fathers,  whereof  some  highly  approve 
the  Greek  Septuagint,  decrying  and  rendering  very  doubt- 
ful the  Hebrew  copy,  as  in  many  places  vitiated  and  altered 
by  the  Jews  ;  other  some,  and  particularly  Jerome,  exalting 
the  certainty  of  the  Hebrew,  and  rejecting,  yea,  even  de- 
riding the  history  of  the  Septuagint,  which  the  primitive 
church  chiefly  made  use  of ;  and  some  fathers  that  lived 
centuries  before  him,  affirmed  to  be  a  most  certain  thing: 
and  the  many  various  readings  in  divers  copies  of  the 
Greek,  and  the  great  altercations  among  the  fathers  of  the 
first  three  centuries,  who  had  greater  opportunity  to  be 
better  informed  than  we  can  now  lay  claim  to,  concerning 
the  books  to  be  admitted  or  rejected,  as  is  above  observed  ; 
I  say,  all  these  and  much  more  which  might  be  alleged, 
puts  the  minds  even  of  the  learned  into  infinite  doubts, 
scruples,  and  inextricable  difficulties:  whence  we  may  very 
safely  conclude,  that  Jesus  Christ,  who  promised  to  be  al- 
ways with  his  children,  to  lead  them  into  all  truth,  to  guard 
(hem  against  the  devices  of  the  enemy,  and  to  establish 
their  laith  upon  an  unmovable  rock,  left  them  not  to  be 
principally  ruled  by  that,  which  was  subject  in  itself  to 
many  uncertainties:  and  therefore  he  gave  them  his  Spirit, 
as  their  })riiicipal  guide,  which  neither  moths  nor  time  can 
8 


86 


PROrOSITION  III. 


wear  out,  nor  transcribers  nor  translators  corrupt  ;  whici 
none  are  so  young,  none  so  illiterate,  none  in  so  remote  a 
place,  but  they  may  come  to  be  reached,  and  rightly  in- 
formed by  it. 

Through  and  by  the  clearness  which  that  Spirit  gives  us 
it  is,  that  we  are  only  best  rid  of  those  difficulties  that  oc 
cur  to  us  concerning  the  scriptures.    The  real  and  uii 
doubted  experience  whereof  I  myself  have  been  a  witness  of, 
with  great  admiration  of  the  love  of  God  to  his  children  in 
Wrong       these  latter  days:  for  I  have  known  some  of  ray  friends, 
of'schpture        profess  the  same  faith  with  me,  faithful  servants  of  the 
discerned  in  Most  High  God,  and  full  of  divine  knowledge  of  his  truth, 

the  Spirit  .... 

by  the  un-  as  it  was  immediately  and  inwardly  revealed  to  them  by  the 
'euVls^ Spirit,  from  a  true  and  living  experience,  who  not  only 
were  ignorant  of  the  Greek  and  Hebrew,  but  even  some  of 
them  could  not  read  their  own  vulgar  language,  who  being 
pressed  by  their  adversaries  with  some  citations  out  of  the 
English  translation,  and  finding  them  to  disagree  with  the 
manifestation  of  truth  in  their  own  hearts,  have  boldly 
affirmed  the  Spirit  of  God  never  said  so,  and  that  it  was 
certainly  wrong ;  for  they  did  not  believe  that  any  of  the 
holy  prophets  or  apostles  had  ever  written  so  ;  which  when 
I  on  this  account  seriously  examined,  I  really  found  to  be 
errors  and  corruptions  of  the  translators ;  who,  as  in  most 
translations,  do  not  so  much  give  us  the  genuine  significa- 
tion of  the  words,  as  strain  them  to  express  that  which 
comes  nearest  to  that  opinion  and  notion  they  have  of 
truth.  And  this  seemed  to  me  to  suit  very  well  with  .iiat 
saying  of  Augustine,  Epist.  19,  ad  Hier.  Tom  ii  fol.  14, 
after  he  has  said,  "  That  he  gives  only  that  honour  to  thosf 
books  which  are  called  canonical,  as  to  believe  that  the  au- 
thors thereof  did  in  writing  not  err,"  he  adds,  "  And  if  I 
shall  meet  with  anything  in  these  writings  that  seenieth  re- 
pugnant (o  truth,  I  shall  not  doubt  to  say,  that  either  the 
volume  is  faulty  or  erroneous  ;  that  the  expounder  hatb 
not  reached  what  was  said  ;  or  that  I  have  in  no  wise  un- 
derstood it."  Sc  that  he  supposes  that  in  the  transcription 
and  translation  there  may  be  errors. 


OF  THK  SCRIPTURES. 


87 


§  V.  If  it  be  then  asked  me,  Whether  I  think  hen.'by  to  Objeot. 
render  the  scriptures  aUogether  uncertain,  or  useless  ? 

I  answer ;  Not  at  all.  The  proposition  itself  declares  Answ.  ';. 
how  much  I  esteem  them  ;  and  provided  that  to  the  Spirit 
from  which  they  came  be  but  granted  that  place  the  scrip- 
lures  themselves  give  it,  I  do  freely  concede  to  the  scrip- 
tures the  second  place,  even  whatsoever  they  say  of  them- 
selves :  which  the  a))ostle  Paul  chiefly  mentions  in  two 
places,  Rom.  xv.  4:  "Whatsoever  thhigs  were  written 
aforetime,  were  written  for  our  learning,  that  we  through 
patience  and  comfort  of  the  scriptures  might  have  hope." 
2  Tim.  iii.  15,  16,  17  :  The  holy  scriptures  are  able  to 
make  thee  wise  unto  salvation,  through  faith  which  is  in 
Christ  Jesus.  All  scripture  given  by  inspiration  of  God, 
is  profitable — for  correction,  for  instruction  in  righteous- 
ness, that  the  man  of  God  may  be  j)erfect,  thoroughly  fur- 
nished unto  all  good  works. 

For  though  God  doth  principally  and  chiefly  lead  us  by 
his  Spirit,  yet  he  sometimes  conveys  his  comfort  and  con- 
solation to  us  through  his  children,  whom  he  raises  up  and 
inspires  to  speak  or  write  a  word  in  season,  whereby  the 
saints  are  made  instruments  in  the  hand  of  the  Lord  to 
strengthen  and  encourage  one  another,  which  doth  also 
tend  to  perfect  and  make  them  wise  unto  salvation  ;  and 
such  as  are  led  by  the  Spirit  cannot  neglect,  but  do  natu-  The  saintn 
rally  love,  and  are  wonderfully  cherished  by  that  w'hich  comfort  is 
proceedeth  from  the  same  Spirit  in  another ;  because  such  spi^^f 
mutual  emanations  of  the  heavenly  life  tend  to  quicktn  the 
mind  when  at  any  time  it  is  overtaken  with  heaviness. 
Peter  himself  declares  this  to  have  been  the  end  of  Lis 
wiiting  2  Pet.  i.  12,  13  :  '<  Wherefore  I  will  not  be  neg- 
ligent put  you  always  in  remembrance  of  these  things, 
though  ye  know  them,  and  be  established  in  the  present 
truth  ;  yea,  I  think  it  meet,  as  long  as  I  am  in  this  taber- 
nacle, to  stir  you  up,  by  putting  you  in  remembrance." 

God  is  teacher  of  his  people  himself ;  and  there  is  no- 
thing more  ex})ress,  than  that  such  as  are  under  the  new 
covenant,  need  no  man  to  teach  them  :  yet  it  was  a  fruil 


«8 


TROFOSITION  III. 


Answ.  2. 

The  scrip 
tures  a 
looking- 
glass. 


of  Christ's  ascension  to  send  teachers  and  pastors  for  per 
fecting  of  the  saints.  So  that  the  same  work  is  ascribed 
to  the  scriptures  as  to  teachers  ;  the  one  to  make  the 
man  of  God  perfect,  the  other  for  the  perfection  of  tht 
saints. 

As  then  teachers  are  not  to  go  before  the  teaching  of 
God  himself  under  the  new  covenant,  but  to  follow  af'.cj 
it ;  neither  are  they  to  rob  us  of  that  great  privilege  which 
Christ  hath  purchased  unto  us  by  his  blood ;  so  neither  is 
the  scripture  to  go  before  the  teaching  of  the  Spirit,  or  to 
rob  us  of  it. 

Secondly,  God  hath  seen  meet  that  herein  we  should,  3.s 
in  a  looking-glass,  see  the  conditions  and  experiences  of 
the  saints  of  old;  that  finding  our  experience  answer  to 
theirs,  we  might  thereby  be  the  more  confirmed  and  com- 
forted, and  our  hope  of  obtaining  the  same  end  strength- 
ened ;  that  observing  the  providences  attending  them,  seeing 
the  snares  they  were  liable  to,  and  beholding  their  deliver- 
ances, we  may  thereby  be  made  wise  unto  salvation,  and 
seasonably  reproved  and  instructed  in  righteousness. 
This  is  the  great  work  of  the  scriptures,  and  their  ser- 

tures'  work  yj^-g  fj^j,^      j^^y  witness  them  fulfilled  in  us,  and  so 

uid  servile.    .  '  •'  _  ' 

discern  the  stamp  of  God's  spirit  and  ways  upon  them,  by 

the  inward  acquaintance  we  have  with  the  same  Spirit  and 
work  in  our  hearts.  The  prophecies  of  the  scriptures  are 
also  very  comfortable  and  profitable  unto  us,  as  the  same 
Spirit  enlightens  us  to  observe  them  fulfilled,  and  to  be  ful- 
filled ;  for  in  all  this  it  is  to  be  observed,  that  it  is  only  the 
spiritual  man  that  can  make  a  right  use  of  them :  they  are  able 
to  make  the  man  of  God  perfect,  so  it  is  not  the  natural  man  ; 
and  whatsoever  was  written  aforetime,  was  written  for  our 
comfort,  [our]  that  are  the  believers,  [our]  that  are  the  saints; 
concerning  such  the  apostle  speaks :  for  as  for  the  others, 
the  apostle  Peter  plainly  declares,  that  the  unstable  and 
unlearned  wrest  them  to  their  own  destruction :  these  were 
they  that  were  unlearned  in  the  divine  and  heavenly  learn- 
ing of  the  Spirit,  not  in  human  and  school  literature  ;  in 
which  we  may  safely  presume  that  Peter  himself,  being  a 


The  scrip- 


O*"  THE  SCRIPTURES. 


89 


fisherman,  had  no  skill ;  for  it  may  with  great  probability, 
yea  certainty,  be  affirmed,  that  he  had  no  knowledge  of 
Aristotle's  logic,  which  both  Papists  and  Protestants  now,*  Logi3. 
degenerating  from  the  simplicity  of  truth,  make  the  hand- 
maid  of  divinity,  as  they  call  it,  and  a  necessary  introduc- 
tion to  their  carnal,  natural,  and  human  ministry.  By  the 
fiifinite  obscure  labours  of  which  kind  of  men,  intermixing 
iheir  heathenish  stuff,  the  scripture  is  rendered  at  this  day 
of  so  little  service  to  the  simple  people  :  whereof  if  Jerome 
complained  in  his  time,  now  twelve  hundred  years  ago, 
Hierom.  Epist.  134,  ad  Cypr.  Tom.  3,  saying,  "It  is  wont 
to  befal  the  most  part  of  learned  men,  that  it  is  harder  to 
understand  their  expositions,  than  the  things  which  they 
go  about  to  expound  ;"  what  may  we  say  then,  considering 
those  great  heaps  of  commentaries  since,  in  ages  yet  far 
more  corrupted  ? 

§  VI.  In  this  respect  above  mentioned,  then,  we  have 
shown  what  service  and  use  the  holy  scriptures,  as  managed 
in  and  by  the  Spirit,  are  of  to  the  church  of  God  ;  where-  The  scr 
fore  we  do  account  them  a  secondary  rule.  Moreover,  be- 
cause  they  are  commonly  acknowledged  by  all  to  have  rule, 
been  written  by  the  dictates  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  that 
the  errors  which  may  be  supposed  by  the  injury  of  times 
to  have  slipped  in,  are  not  such  but  that  there  is  a  sufficient 
clear  testimony  left  to  all  the  essentials  of  the  Christian 
taith;  we  do  look  upon  them  as  the  only  fit  outward  judge 
of  controversies  among  Christians ;  and  that  whatsoever 
doctrine  is  contrary  unto  their  testimony,  may  therefore 
justly  be  rejected  as  false.  And  for  our  parts,  we  are  very 
willing  that  all  our  doctrines  and  practices  be  tried  by 
them  ;  which  we  never  refu.sed,  nor  ever  shall,  in  all  con- 
troversies with  our  adversaries,  as  the  judge  and  test.  We 
shall  also  be  very  willing  to  admit  it  as  a  positive  certain 
maxim.  That  whatsoever  any  do,  pretending  to  the  Spirit, 
which  is  contrary  to  the  scriptures,  be  accounted  and 
reckoned  a  delusion  of  the  devil.  For  as  we  never  lay 
claim  to  the  Spirit's  leadings,  that  we  may  cover  ourselves 
in  any  thing  'hat  is  evil ;  so  we  know,  that  as  every  evil 
8*  u 


PROPOSITION  in. 


contradicts  the  scriptures,  so  it  doth  also  the  Spirit  in  the 
first  place,  from  which  the  scriptures  carne,  and  whose  mo- 
tions can  never  contradict  one  another,  though  they  may 
appear  sometimes  to  be  contradictory  to  the  blind  eye  of 
the  natural  man,  as  Paul  and  James  seem  to  contradifl 
one  another. 

Thus  far  we  have  shown  both  what  we  believe,  and 
what  we  believe  not,  concerning  the  holy  scriptures,  hop- 
ing we  have  given  them  their  due  place.  But  since  they 
that  will  needs  have  them  to  be  the  only,  certain,  and 
principal  rule,  want  not  some  show  of  arguments,  even 
from  the  scripture  itself  (though  it  no  where  calls  itself  so) 
by  which  they  labour  to  prove  their  doctrine ;  I  shall 
briefly  lay  them  down  by  way  of  objections,  and  answer 
them,  before  I  make  an  end  of  this  matter. 

Obj  1.  §  VII.  Their  first  objection  is  usually  drawn  from  Isaiah 
viii.  20,  "  To  the  law  and  to  the  testimony  ;  if  they  speak 
not  according  to  this  word,  it  is  because  there  is  no  light 
in  them."  Now  this  law,  testimony,  and  word,  they  plead 
to  be  the  scriptures. 

Answ.  To  which  I  answer;  That  that  is  to  beg  the  thing  in 

question,  and  remains  yet  unproved.  Nor  do  I  know  for 
what  reason  we  may  not  safely  affirm  this  law  and  word  to 
be  inward  :  but  suppose  it  was  outward,  it  proves  not  the 
case  at  all  for  them,  neither  makes  it  against  us  ;  for  it 
may  be  confessed,  without  any  prejudice  to  our  cause,  that 
the  outward  law  was  more  particularly  to  the  Jews  a  rule, 
and  more  principally  than  to  us  ;  seeing  their  law  was  out- 
ward and  literal,  but  ours,  under  the  new  covenant,  as 
hath  been  already  said,  is  expressly  affirmed  to  be  inward, 
and  spiritual ;  so  that  this  scripture  is  so  far  from  making 

To  try  all   against  us,  that  it  makes  for  us.    For  if  the  Jews  were 

ivl'iaf  ?'  directed  to  try  all  things  by  their  law,  which  was  without 
them,  wi  itten  in  tables  of  stone ;  then  if  we  will  have  this 
advice  of  the  prophet  to  reach  us,  we  must  make  it  ho  il 
f  arallel  to  that  dispensation  of  the  gospel  which  we  are 
under :  so  that  we  are  to  try  all  things,  in  the  first  place, 
by  that  word  of  faith  which  is  preached  unto  us,  which  the 


OF  THE  SCRIPTURES. 


91 


apostle  saitli  is  in  the  heart ;  and  by  that  law  which  God 
hath  given  us,  which  the  apostle  saith  also  expressly  is 
written  and  placed  in  the  mind. 

Lastly,  If  we  look  to  this  place  according  to  the  Greek 
interpretation  of  the  Septuagint,  our  adversaries  shall  have 
nothing  from  thence  to  carp  ;  yea,  it  will  favour  us  much; 
for  there  it  is  said,  that  "the  law  is  given  us  for  a  help;" 
which  very  well  agrees  with  what  is  above  asserted. 

Their  second  objection  is  from  John  v  39,  "  Search  the  Obj.  3. 
scriptures,"  &c. 

Here,  say  they,  we  are  commanded,  by  Christ  himself, 
to  search  the  scriptures. 

I  answer,  First,  That  the  scriptures  ought  to  be  searched,  Answ.  1. 
we  do  not  at  all  deny  ;  but  are  very  willing  to  be  tried  by 
them,  as  hath  been  above  declared :  but  the  question  is. 
Whether  they  be  the  only  and  principal  rule  ?  Which  this 
is  so  far  from  proving,  that  it  proveth  the  contrary  ;  for 
Christ  checks  them  here  for  too  high  an  esteem  of  the 
scriptures,  and  neglecting  of  him  that  was  to  be  preferred 
before  them,  and  to  whom  they  bore  witness,  as  the  fol- 
lowing words  declare  ;  "  for  in  them  ye  think  ye  have  Search  the 
eternal  life,  and  they  are  they  which  testify  of  me :  and  ye  &c.'''"'^^"' 
will  not  come  unto  me,  that  ye  might  have  life."  This 
shows,  that  while  they  thought  they  had  eternal  life  in  the 
scriptures,  they  neglected  to  come  unto  Christ  to  have  life, 
of  which  the  scriptures  bore  witness.  This  answers  well 
to  our  purpose,  since  our  adversaries  now  do  also  exalt 
the  scriptures,  and  think  to  have  life  in  them  ;  which  is  no 
more  than  to  look  upon  them  as  the  only  principal  rule  and 
way  to  life,  and  yet  refuse  to  come  unto  the  Spirit  of  which 
they  testify,  even  the  inward  spiritual  law,  which  could 
give  them  life  :  so  that  the  cause  of  this  people's  ignorance 
and  unbelief  was  not  their  want  of  respect  to  the  scriptures, 
which  though  they  knew,  and  had  a  high  esteem  of,  yet 
Christ  testifies  in  the  former  verses,  that  they  had  neither 
<'  seen  the  Father,  nor  heard  his  voice  at  any  time  ;  neither 
had  his  word  abiding  in  them  ;"  which  had  they  then  had, 
then  they  had  believed  in  the  Son.    Moreovt/».  that  place  Answ.  & 


92 


PROPOSITION  III. 


may  be  taken  in  the  indicative  inood,  Ye  search  the  scrip, 
tures  ;  which  interpretation  the  Greek  word  will  bear,  and 
so  Pasor  translateth  it :  which  by  the  reproof  following 
seemeth  also  to  be  the  more  genuine  interpretation,  as  Cy- 
rillus  long  ago  hath  observed. 

Oij.3.  §  VIII.  Their  third  objection  is  from  these  words,  A  ti 

xvii.  11,  "These  were  more  noble  than  those  in  Thessalo- 
nica,  in  that  they  received  the  word  with  all  readiness  of 
mind,  and  searched  the  scriptures  daily,  whether  those 
things  were  so." 
^  Here,  say  they,  the  Bereans  are  commended  for  search- 
ing the  scriptures,  and  making  them  the  rule. 

Ans.  1.  I  answer ;  That  the  scriptures  either  are  the  principal  or 
only  rule,  will  not  at  all  follow  from  this ;  neither  will  their 
searching  the  scriptures,  or  being  commended  for  it,  infer 
any  such  thing:  for  we  recommend  and  approve  the  use 
of  them  in  that  respect  as  much  as  any  ;  yet  will  it  not 
follow,  that  we  affirm  them  to  be  the  principal  and  only 
rule. 

Secondly,  It  is  to  be  observed  that  these  were  the  Jews 
of  Berea,  to  whom  these  scriptures,  which  were  the  law 
and  the  prophets,  were  more  particularly  a  rule  ;  and  the 
thing  under  examination  was,  whether  the  birth,  life,  works, 
and  sufTerings  of  Christ,  did  answer  to  the  prophecies  con- 
cerning him ;  so  that  it  was  most  proper  for  them,  being 
Jews,  to  examine  the  apostle's  doctrine  by  the  scriptures ; 
seeing  he  pleaded  it  to  be  a  fulfilling  of  them.  It  is  said 
nevertheless,  in  the  first  place.  That  "  they  received  the 
word  with  cheerfulness ;"  and  in  the  second  place,  "  They 
searched  the  scriptures:"  not  that  they  searched  the  scrip- 
tures, and  then  received  the  word  ;  for  then  could  they  not 
.have  prevailed  to  convert  them,  had  they  not  first  minded 
the  word  abiding  in  them,  which  opened  their  understand 
ings ;  no  more  than  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  who,  as  in 
the  former  objection  we  observed,  searched  the  scriptures 
and  exalted  them,  and  yet  remained  in  their  unbelief,  be> 
cause  they  had  not  the  word  abiding  in  them. 
Aw.  *.         But  lastly,  If  this  commendation  of  the  Jewish  Bereans 


Ans.  2. 

The  Bere- 
ans search- 
ing the 
scriptures, 
malies 
them  not 
the  only 
rule  to  try 
doctrines. 


OF  THE  SCRIPTURES. 


93 


might  infer  that  the  scriptures  were  the  only  ana  principal 
rule  to  try  the  apostle's  doctrine  by,  what  should  have  be- 
come of  the  Gentiles  ?  How  should  they  ever  have  come 
to  have  received  the  faith  of  Christ,  who  neither  knew  the 
scriptures,  nor  believed  them  ?  We  see  in  the  end  of  the 
same  chapter,  how  the  apostle,  preaching  to  the  Athenians,  The  Aih« 
took  another  method,  and  directed  them  to  somewhat  of  ",'3,','^'^' 
God  within  themselves,  that  they  might  feel  after  him.  He 
did  not  go  about  to  proselyte  them  to  the  Jewish  religion, 
and  to  the  belief  of  the  law  and  the  prophets,  and  from 
thence  to  prove  the  coming  of  Christ ;  nay,  he  took  a 
nearer  way.  Now  certainly  the  principal  and  only  rule  is 
not  different ;  one  to  the  Jews,  and  another  to  the  Gen- 
tiles ;  but  is  universal,  reaching  both  :  though  secondary 
and  subordinate  rules  and  means  may  be  various,  and 
diversely  suited,  according  as  the  people  they  are  used  to 
are  stated  and  circumstantiated  :  even  so  we  see  that  the 
apostle  to  the  Athenians  used  a  testimony  of  one  of  their 
own  poets,  which  he  judged  would  have  credit  with  them  ; 
and  no  doubt  such  testimonies,  whose  authors  they  esteem- 
ed, had  more  weight  with  them  than  all  the  sayings  of 
Moses,  and  the  prophets,  whom  they  neither  knew  nor 
would  have  cared  for.  Now  because  the  apostle  used  the 
testimony  of  a  poet  to  the  Athenians,  will  it  therefore  follow 
he  made  that  the  principal  or  only  rule  to  try  his  doctrine 
by.^  So  neither  will  it  follow,  that  though  he  made  use 
of  the  scriptures  to  the  Jews,  as  being  a  principle  already 
believed  by  them,  to  try  his  doctrine,  that  from  thence  the 
scriptures  may  be  accounted  the  principal  or  only  rule. 

§  IX.  The  last,  and  that  which  at  first  view  seems  to  be 
the  greatest  objection,  is  this: 

If  the  scripture  be  not  the  adequate,  principal,  and  only  Obj.  4 
:ul<',  then  it  would  follow  that  the  scripture  is  not  com- 
plete, nor  the  canon  filled  ;  that  if  men  be  now  imme- 
diately led  and  ruled  by  tlie  Spirit,  they  may  add  new 
scriptures  of  equal  authority  with  the  old  ;  whereas  every 
one  that  adds  is  cursed  :  yea,  what  assurance  have  we,  but 


94 


PROPOSITION  III. 


Ajfsw. 


Obj.  1. 


Ans.  1. 


Ans.  2. 


Oal.  i.  8. 


A  new  re- 
velation is 
not  a  new 
gospel. 


Uooks  ca- 
nonical. 


at  this  rate  every  one  may  bring  in  a  new  gospel  according 
to  his  fancy  ? 

The  dangerous  consequences  insinuated  in  this  objection 
were  fully  answered  in  the  latter  part  of  the  last  proposition, 
in  what  was  said  a  little  before,  oflering  freely  to  disclaim 
all  pretended  revelations  contrary  to  the  scriptures. 

But  if  it  be  urged,  That  it  is  not  enough  to  deny  ihese 
consequences,  if  they  naturally  follow  from  your  doctrine 
of  immediate  revelation,  and  denying  the  scripture  to  be 
the  only  rule ; 

I  answer ;  We  have  proved  both  these  doctrines  to  be 
true  and  necessary,  according  to  the  scriptures  themselves; 
and  therefore  to  fasten  evil  consequences  upon  them,  which 
we  make  appear  do  not  follow,  is  not  to  accuse  us,  but 
Christ  and  his  apostles,  who  preached  them. 

But  Secondly,  We  have  shut  the  door  upon  all  such 
doctrine  in  this  very  position  ;  affirming,  That  the  scrip- 
tures give  a  full  and  ample  testimony  to  all  the  principal 
doctrines  of  the  Christian  faith.  For  we  do  firmly  believe 
that  there  is  no  other  gospel  or  doctrine  to  be  preached, 
but  that  which  was  delivered  by  the  apostles  ;  and  do  freely 
subscribe  to  that  saying.  Let  him  that  preacheth  any  other 
gospel,  than  that  which  hath  been  already  preached  by  the 
apostles,  and  according  to  the  scriptures,  be  accursed. 

So  we  distinguish  betwixt  a  revelation  of  a  new  gospel, 
and  new  doctrines,  and  a  new  revelation  of  the  good  old 
gospel  and  doctrines ;  the  last  we  plead  for,  but  the  first 
we  utterly  deny.  For  we  firmly  believe.  That  no  other 
fi)undation  can  any  man  lay,  than  that  which  is  laid  already. 
But  that  this  revelation  is  necessary  we  have  already  proved ; 
and  this  distinction  doth  sufficiently  guard  us  against  the 
hazard  insinuated  in  the  objection. 

As  to  the  scriptures  being  a  filled  canon,  I  see  no  neces 
sity  of  believing  it.  And  if  these  men,  that  believe  the 
scriptures  to  be  the  only  rule,  will  be  consistent  with  their 
own  doctrine,  they  must  needs  be  of  my  judgment;  seeing 
it  is  simply  impossible  to  prove  the  canon  by  the  scriptures 
Foj  it  cannot  be  found  in  any  book  of  the  scriptures,  that 


OF  THE  SCRIPTURES. 


these  books,  and  just  these,  and  no  other,  are  canonical, 
as  all  are  forced  to  acknowledge  ;  how  can  they  then  evite 
this  argument  ? 

That  which  cannot  be  proved  by  scripture  is  no  necessary 
article  of  faith. 

But  the  canon  of  the  scripture  ;  to  wit,  that  there  are  so 
many  books  precisely,  neither  more  nor  less,  cannot  be 
proved  by  scripture : 

Therefore,  it  is  no  necessary  article  of  faith. 

If  they  should  allege  ;  That  the  admitting  of  any  other  Obj.  % 
books  to  be  now  written  by  the  same  Spirit  might  infer  the 
admission  of  new  doctrines  ; 

I  deny  that  consequence  ;  for  the  principal  or  fundamen- 
tal doctrines  of  the  Christian  religion  are  contained  in  the 
tenth  part  of  the  scripture  ;  but  it  will  not  follow  ihence 
that  the  rest  are  impertinent  or  useless.  If  it  should  please 
God  to  bring  to  us  any  of  those  books,  which  by  the  injury 
of  time  are  lost,  which  are  mentioned  in  the  scripture  ;  as, 
The  Prophecy  of  Enoch  ;  the  Book  of  Nathan,  &c.,  or,  the  Books 
Third  Epistle  of  Paul  to  the  Corinthians  ;  I  see  no  reason 
why  we  ought  not  to  receive  them,  and  place  them  with 
the  rest.  That  which  displeaseth  me  is,  that  men  should 
first  affirm  that  the  scripture  is  the  only  and  principal  rule, 
and  yet  make  a  great  article  of  faith  of  that  which  the  scrip- 
ture can  give  us  no  light  in. 

As  for  instance  :  How  shall  a  Protestant  prove  by  scrip- 
ture, to  such  as  deny  the  Epistle  of  James  to  be  authentic, 
that  it  ought  to  be  received  ? 

Firiit,  If  he  would  say.  Because  it  contradicts  not  the 
rest ;  besides  that  there  is  no  mention  of  it  in  any  of  the 
rest,  perhaps  these  men  think  it  doth  contradict  Paul  in 
relation  to  faith  and  works.  But,  if  that  should  be  granted, 
it  would  as  well  follow,  that  every  writer  that  contradicts 
not  the  scripture,  should  be  put  into  the  canon  ;  and  by 
this  means  these  men  fall  into  a  greater  absurdity  than  they 
fix  upon  us:  for  thus  they  would  equal  every  one  the 
writings  of  their  own  sect  with  the  scriptures  ;  for  I  sup- 
pose i.hey  judge  their  own  confession  of  faith  doth  not  con- 


PROPOSITION  III, 


tradict  the  scriptures  :  Will  it  therefore  follow  that  it  should 

be  bound  up  with  the  Bible  ?  And  yet  it  seems  impossible, 

according  to  their  principles,  to  bring  any  better  argument 

Whether    to  prove  the  Epistle  of  James  to  be  authentic.    Thtio  is 

o't  Jmnes'be  ^hen  this  unavoidable  necessity  to  say,  We  know  it  by  the 

aathentic,  same  Spirit  from  which  it  was  written  ;  or  otherwise  to  step 
and  how  lo  ^  '  .  .  ' 

known?     back  to  Rome,  and  say,  We  know  by  tradition  that  the 

church  hath  declared  it  to  be  canonical  ;  and  the  chuu  b 
is  infallible.  Let  thein  find  a  mean,  if  they  can.  So  lhat 
out  of  this  objection  we  shall  draw  an  unanswerable  argu- 
ment ad  hominem,  to  our  purpose. 

That  which  cannot  assure  me  concerning  an  article  of 
faith  necessary  to  be  believed,  is  not  the  primary,  adequate, 
only  rule  of  faith,  &c. 

But  the  scripture  cannot  thus  assure  me ;  Therefore,  &c. 

I  prove  the  assumption  thus  : 

That  .which  cannot  assure  me  concerning  the  canon  of 
the  scripture,  to  wit,  that  such  books  are  only  to  be  ad- 
mitted, and  the  Apocrypha  excluded,  cannot  assure  me  of 
this. 

Therefore^  &c. 

Obj.3.         And  lastly.  As  to  these  words,  Rev.  xxii.  18,  Tlr.it  "  if 
any  man  shall  add  unto  these  things,  God  shall  add  unto 
Answ.       him  the  plagues  that  are  written  in  this  book  ;"  I  desire 
they  will  show  me  how  it  relates  to  any  thing  else  than  to 
that  particular  prophecy.    It  saith  not,  Now  the  canon  of 
the  scriptures  is  filled  up,  no  man  is  to  write  more  from 
the  Spirit ;  yea,  do  not  all  confess  that  there  have  been 
prophecies  and  true  prophets  since  ?    The  Papists  deny  i'. 
not.    And  do  not  the  Protestants  affirm,  that  John  Hus 
prophesied  of  the  reformation     Was  he  therefore  cursed  ? 
Or  did  he  therein  evil  ?    I  could  give  many  other  exam- 
What  it      pies,  confessed  by  themselves.    But,  moreover,  the  same 
adTto  t'he    ^^'"^^     fffi'ct  commanded  long  before,  Prov.  xxx.  6,  "Add 
Bcnptures.  tJ^Q^  fjQj-  yj^^Q  \^\^  words,  lest  he  reprove  thee,  and  thou  be 
found  a  liar:"  Yet  how  many  books  of  the  prophets  were 
written  after.''   And  the  same  was  said  by  Moses,  Deut,  iv. 
2  "Ye  shall  not  add  unto  the  word  which  I  command 


OF  MAN  IN  THE  FALL. 


97 


you ;  neither  shall  ye  diminish  aught  from  it."  So  that, 
though  we  should  extend  that  of  the  revelation  beyond  the 
particular  prophecy  of  that  book,  it  cannot  be  understood 
but  of  a  new  gospel,  or  new  doctrines,  or  of  restraining 
man's  spirit,  that  he  mix  not  his  human  words  with  the 
divine  ;  and  not  of  a  new  revelation  of  the  old,  as  we  have 
said  before. 


PROPOSITION  IV. 

Concerning  the  Condition  of  Man  in  the  Fall. 

All  Adam's  posterity,  or  mankind,  both  Jews  and  Gentiles, 
as  to  the  first  Adam,  or  earthl)'  man,  is  fallen,  degene- 
rated, and  dead  ;  deprived  of  the  sensation  or  feeling  of 
this  inward  testimony  or  seed  of  God  ;  and  is  subject  Rom  ».  11 
unto  the  power,  nature,  and  seed  of  the 'serpent,  which 
he  soweth  in  men's  hearts,  while  they  abide  in  this  na- 
tural and  corrupted  estate :  from  whence  it  comes,  that 
not  only  their  words  and  deeds,  but  all  their  imagina- 
tions, are  evil  perpetually  in  the  sight  of  God,  as  pro- 
ceeding from  this  depraved  and  wicked  seed.  Man 
therefore,  as  he  is  in  this  state,  can  know  nothing  aright ; 
yea,  his  thoughts  and  conceptions  concerning  God  and 
things  spiritual,  until  he  be  disjoined  from  this  evil  seed, 
and  united  to  the  Divine  Light,  are  unprofitable  both  to 
himself  and  others.  Hence  are  rejected  the  Socinian 
and  Pelagian  errors,  in  exalting  a  natural  light ;  as  also 
of  the  Papists,  and  most  Protestants,  who  affirm.  That 
man,  without  the  true  grace  of  God,  may  be  a  true 
minister  of  the  gospel.  Nevertheless,  this  seed  is  not 
imputed  to  infants,  until  by  transgression  they  actually 
join  themselves  therewith  ;  for  they  are  by  nature  "  the 
children  of  wrath,"  who  walk  according  to  the  "power  Eph.  ii 
of  the  prince  of  the  air,  the  spirit  that  now  worketh  in 
the  children  of  disobedience,"  having  their  conversation 
in  the  lusts  of  the  flesh  fulfilling  the  desires  of  the  flesh 
and  of  the  mind. 

9  N 


PROPOSITION  IV. 


§  I.  Hitherto  we  have  discoursed  how  the  true  know, 
ledge  of  God  is  attained  and  preserved  ;  also  of  what  use 
and  service  the  holy  scripture  is  to  the  saints. 

We  come  now  to  examine  the  state  and  condition  of  man 
as  he  stands  in  the  fall ;  what  his  capacity  and  power  is; 
and  how  far  he  is  able,  as  of  himself,  to  advance  in  rela- 
tion to  the  things  of  God.  Of  this  we  touched  a  little  in 
the  beginning  of  the  second  proposition  ;  but  the  full,  right, 
and  thorough  understanding  of  it  is  of  great  use  and  ser- 
vice ;  because  from  the  ignorance  and  altercations  that  have 
been  about  it,  there  have  arisen  great  and  dangerous  errors, 
both  on  the  one  hand  and  on  the  other.  While  some  do 
so  far  exalt  the  light  of  nature,  or  the  faculty  of  the  natural 
man,  as  capable  of  himself,  by  virtue  of  the  inward  will, 
faculty,  light,  and  power,  that  pertains  to  his  nature,  to  fol- 
low that  which  is  good,  and  make  real  progress  towards 
heaven  ;  and  of  these  are  the  Pelagians,  and  Semi-Pela- 
gians of  old  ;  and  of  late  the  Socinians,  and  divers  others 
among  the  Papists  ;  others  again  will  needs  run  into  an- 
Aufjus-  other  extreme,  to  whom  Augustine,  among  the  ancients, 
ag^s^'pe-  first  made  way  in  his  declining  age,  through  the  heat  of  his 
lagius.  2eal  against  Pelagius,  not  only  confessing  man  incapabl*" 
of  himself  to  do  good,  and  prone  to  evil  ;  but  that  in  hu 
very  mother's  womb,  and  before  he  commits  any  actual 
transgression,  he  is  contaminate  with  a  real  guilt,  whereby 
he  deserves  eternal  death:  in  which  respect  they  are  not 
afraid  to  affirm.  That  many  poor  infants  are  eternally 
damned,  and  for  ever  endure  the  torments  of  hell.  There- 
fore the  God  of  truth,  having  now  again  revealed  his  truth 
that  good  and  even  way,  by  his  own  Spirit,  hath  taught 
us  to  avoid  both  these  extremes. 

That  then  which  our  proposition  leads  to  treat  of  is, 
First,  What  the  condition  of  man  is  in  the  fall ;  and  how 
far  incapable  to  meddle  in  the  things  of  God, 

And,  secondly.  That  God  doth  not  impute  this  evil  to 
infants,  until  they  actually  join  with  It :  that  so,  by  estab- 
lishing the  truth,  we  may  overturn  the  errors  on  both 
parts. 


OK  MAN   IN   THE  FALL. 


19 


And  as  for  (hat  third  thing  included  in  the  proposition 
itself  concerning  these  teachers  which  want  the  Grace  of 
God,  we  shall  refer  that  to  the  tenth  proposition,  where  the 
matter  is  more  particularly  handled. 

§  II.  As  to  the  first,  not  to  dive  into  the  many  curious  Part  I. 
notions  which  many  have  concerning  the  condition  of  Adam 
before  the  fall,  all  agree  in  this:  That  thereby  he  came  to  Adam't 
a  very  great  loss,  not  only  in  the  things  which  related  to 
the  outward  man,  but  in  regard  of  that  true  fellowship  and 
communion  he  had  with  God.  This  loss  was  signified  unto 
him  in  the  command,  "  For  in  the  day  thou  eatest  thereof, 
thou  shalt  surely  die,"  Gen.  ii.  17.  This  death  could  not 
be  an  outward  death,  or  the  dissolution  of  the  outward 
man ;  for  as  to  that,  he  did  not  die  yet  many  hundred 
years  after ;  so  that  it  must  needs  respect  his  spiritual  life 
and  communion  with  God.  The  consequence  of  this  fall, 
besides  that  which  relates  to  the  fruits  of  the  earth,  is  also 
expressed,  Gen.  iii.  24,  "  So  he  drove  out  the  man,  and 
he  placed  at  the  east  of  the  garden  of  Eden,  cherubims, 
and  a  flaming  sword,  which  turned  every  way,  to  keep  the 
way  of  the  tree  of  life."  Now  whatsoever  literal  signification 
this  may  have,  we  may  safely  ascribe  to  this  paradise  a 
mystical  signification,  and  truly  account  it  that  spiritual 
communion  and  fellowship,  which  the  saints  obtain  with 
God  by  Jesus  Christ;  to  whom  only  these  cherubims  give 
way,  and  unto  as  many  as  enter  by  him,  who  calls  himself 
the  Door.  So  that,  though  we  do  not  ascribe  any  whit  of  Guilt  not 
Adam's  guilt  to  men,  until  they  make  it  theirs  by  the  like  Adain^s  ' 
acts  of  disobedience;  yet  we  cannot  suppose  that  men,  P°^'^''">' 
who  are  come  of  Adam  naturally,  can  have  any  good  thing 
in  their  nature,  as  belonging  to  it ;  which  he,  from  whom 
they  derive  their  nature,  had  not  himself  to  communicate 
unto  them. 

If  then  we  may  affirm,  that  Adam  did  not  retain  in  his 
nature  (as  belonging  thereunto)  any  will  or  light  capable  to 
give  him  knowledge  in  spiritual  things,  then  neither  can 
his  posterity;  for  whatsoever  real  good  any  man  doth,  it 
proceedeth  not  from  his  nature,  a>  he  is  man,  or  the  son  of 


100 


PROPOSITION  IV. 


Adam  ;  but  from  the  seed  of  God  in  him,  as  a  new  visita- 
tion of  life,  in  order  to  bring  him  out  of  this  natural  con- 
dition :  so  that,  though  it  be  in  him,  yet  it  is  not  of  hira* 
and  this  the  Lord  himself  witnessed.  Gen.  vi.  5,  where  it 
is  said,  he  "  saw  that  every  imagination  of  the  thoughts  of 
his  heart  was  only  evil  continually  :"  which  words,  as 
they  are  very  positive,  so  are  they  very  comprehensive. 
Every  ima-  Observe  the  emphasis  of  them  ;  First,  There  is  "  every 
gumtiun  ol  iinao-ination  of  the  thoughts  of  his  heart;"  so  that  this  ad- 

(ne  natural      _  °  _        o  ... 

man  is  evil,  mits  of  no  exception  of  any  imagination  of  the  thoughts 
of  his  heart.  Secondly,  "Is  only  evil  continually;"  it  is 
neither  in  some  part  evil  co»tinually,  nor  yet  only  evil  a1 
some  times ;  but  both  only  evil,  and  always  and  continu- 
ally evil ;  which  certainly  excludes  any  good,  as  a  proper 
effect  of  man's  heart,  naturally  :  for  that  which  is  only  evil, 
and  that  always,  cannot  of  its  own  nature  produce  any 
good  thing.  The  Lord  expressed  this  again  a  little  after, 
chap.  viii.  21,  "The  imagination  of  man's  heart  is  evil 
from  his  youth."  Thus  inferring  how  natural  and  proper 
it  is  unto  hira  ;  from  which  I  thus  argue  : 

If  the  thoughts  of  man's  heart  be  not  only  evil,  but  al- 
ways evil ;  then  are  they,  as  they  simply  proceed  from  his 
heart,  neither  good  in  part,  nor  at  any  time. 
But  the  first  is  true ;  therefore  the  last. 
Again, 

If  man's  thoughts  be  always  and  only  evil,  then  are  they 
altogether  useless  and  ineffectual  to  him  in  the  things  of 
God. 

But  the  first  is  true  ;  therefore  the  last, 
fne  heart  Secondly,  This  appears  clearly  from  that  saying  of  the 
r.'ii'tu"  prophet  Jeremiah,  chap.  xvii.  9,  "  The  heart  is  deceitful 
above  all  things,  and  desperately  wicked."  For  who  can 
with  any  colour  of  reason  imagine,  that  that  which  is  so 
hath  any  power  of  itself,  or  is  in  any  wise  fit  to  lead  a  man 
to  righteousness,  whereunto  it  is  of  its  own  nature  directly 
opposite  ?  This  is  as  contrary  to  reason,  as  it  is  impos- 
sible in  nature  that  a  stone,  of  its  ow'n  nature  and  proper 
motion,  shou'd  fly  upwards :  for  as  a  stone  of  its  own  na- 


OF  MAN  IN  THE  FALL. 


101 


hire  inciinelh  and  is  prone  to  move  downwards  towards  the 
centre,  so  the  heart  of  man  is  naturally  prone  and  inclined 
to  evil,  some  to  one,  and  some  to  another.  From  this  then 
I  also  thus  argue  : 

That  which  is  "  deceitful  above  all  things,  and  desper- 
ately wicked,"  is  not  fit,  neither  can  it  lead  a  man  aright 
in  things  that  are  good  and  honest. 

But  the  heart  of  man  is  such : 

Therefore,  &c. 

But  the  apostle  Paul  dcscribeth  the  condition  of  men  in  Rom.  iii.lO. 

the  fall  at  large,  taking  it  out  of  the  Psalmist.    "  There  is  and  liir^.' 

none  righteous,  no  not  one :  there  is  none  that  understandeth, 

there  is  none  that  seeketh  after  God.    They  are  all  gone 

out  of  the  way,  they  are  altogether  become  unprofitable  ; 

there  is  none  that  doth  good,  no  not  one.    Their  throat  is  Man's 

11  •  1     .1    •  ,1        1  1  pitate  in 

an  open  sepulchre,  with  their  tongues  they  have  used  the laU. 

deceit,  the  poison  of  asps  is  under  their  lips:  whose 
mouths  are  full  of  cursing  and  bitterness.  Their  feet  are 
swift  to  shed  blood  ;  destruction  and  misery  are  in  theii 
ways:  and  the  way  of  peace  have  they  not  known.  There 
is  no  fear  of  God  before  their  eyes."  What  more  positive 
can  be  spoken  ?  He  seeineth  to  be  particularly  careful  to 
avoid  that  any  good  should  be  ascribed  to  the  natural  man  ; 
he  shows  how  he  is  polluted  in  all  his  ways  ;  he  shows  how 
he  is  void  of  righteousness,  of  understanding,  of  the  know- 
ledge of  God  ;  how  he  is  out  of  the  way,  and  in  short  un- 
profitable ;  than  which  nothing  can  be  more  fully  said  to 
confirm  our  judgment:  for  if  this  be  the  condition  of  the 
natural  man,  or  of  man  as  he  stands  in  the  fall,  he  is  unfit 
to  makf  one  right  step  to  heaven. 

If  it  be  said,  That  is  not  spoken  of  the  condition  of  man  OnjF.ci 
in  general ;  but  only  of  some  particulars,  or  at  the  least 
that  it  comprehends  not  all ; 

The  text  showeth  the  clear  contrary  in  the  foregoing  Ausw. 
verses,  where  the  apostle  takes  in  himself,  as  he  stood  in 
his  natural  condition.  "  What  then  Are  we  better  than 
ihey  No,  in  no  wise  ;  for  we  have  before  proved  both 
J«nvs  <nd  Gentiles,  that  they  are  all  under  sin,  as  it  -s 
9* 


102 


PROPOSITION  IV. 


written  :"  and  so  he  goes  on  ;  by  which  it  is  manifest  tha\ 
he  speaks  of  mankind  in  general. 
'Jbjkct.  If  they  object  that  which  the  same  apostle  saith  in  the 
foregoing  chapter,  ver  14,  to  wit,  That  the  Gentiles  do 
by  nature  the  things  contained  in  the  law,  and  so  conse- 
quently do  by  nature  that  which  is  good  and  acceptable  in 
the  sight  of  God  ; 
Aws.  1  I  answer  ;  This  nature  must  not,  neither  can  be  under- 

stood of  man's  own  nature,  which  is  corrupt  and  fallen ; 
but  of  the  spiritual  nature,  which  proceedeth  from  the  secc. 
of  God  in  man,  as  it  receiveth  a  new  visitation  of  God's 
love,  and  is  quickened  by  it :  which  clearly  appears  by  the 
By  wnat     following  words,  where  he  saith,  "  These  having  not  the 
GentTles*"  '^^^j"  i-  6.,  outwardly,  <'  are  a  law  unto  themselves;  which 
did  do  the   show  the  work  of  the  law  written  in  their  hearts."  These 
ihe"faV.     acts  of  theirs  then  are  an  effect  of  the  law  written  in  their 
hearts ;  but  the  scripture  declareth,  that  the  writing  of  the 
law  in  the  heart  is  a  part,  yea  and  a  great  part  too,  of  the 
new  covenant  dispensation,  and  so  no  consequence  nor 
part  of  man's  nature. 
Ans.  2.         Secondly,  If  this  nature  here  spoken  of  could  be  under- 
stood of  man's  own  nature,  which  he  hath  as  he  is  a  man, 
then  would  the  apostle  unavoidably  contradict  himself; 
Thenaiural  since  he  elsewhere  positively  declares,   That  the  natural 
cernetii  discerneth  not  the  things  of  God,  nor  can.     Now  I 

not,  &c.  hope  the  law  of  God  is  among  the  things  of  God,  especially 
as  it  is  written  in  the  heart.  The  apostle  in  the  viith  chap, 
of  the  same  epistle,  saith,  verse  12,  that  "the  law  is  holy, 
just,  and  good  ;"  and  verse  14,  the  "  law  is  spiritual,  but 
he  is  carnal."  Now  in  what  respect  is  he  carnal,  but  as 
he  stands  in  the  fall  unregenerate  ?  Now  what  inconsistency 
would  here  be,  to  say,  That  he  is  carnal,  and  yet  not  so  of 
his  own  nature,  seeing  it  is  from  his  nature  that  he  is  so 
denominated  ?  We  see  the  apostle  contra-distinguisheth 
the  law  as  spiritual,  from  man's  nature  as  carnal  and  sinful. 
Mai  vii.  16.  Wherefore,  as  Christ  saith.  There  can  no  grapes  be  ex- 
pected from  thorns,  nor  figs  of  thistles ;  so  neither  can  the 
fulfilling  of  the  law,  which  is  spiritual,  holy,  and  just,  be 


OF  MAN  IN  THE  FALL. 


103 


expected  from  that  nature  which  is  corrupt,  fallen,  and 

unregenerate.    Whence  we  conclude,  with  good  reason, 

diat  the  nature  here  spoken  of,  by  which  the  Gentiles  are  The  Ge.i- 

said  to  have  done  the  things  contained  in  the  law,  is  not  uat^namVe' 

the  common  nature  of  men  :  but  that  spiritual  nature  that    doing th« 

.  .  .  law. 

ariseth  from  the  works  of  the  righteous  and  spiritual  law 

that  is  written  in  the  heart.  I  confess  they  of  the  other 
extreme,  when  they  are  pressed  with  this  testimony  by  the 
Socinians  and  Pelagians,  as  well  as  by  us  when  we  use 
this  scripture,  to  show  them  how  some  of  the  heathen,  by 
the  light  of  Christ  in  their  heart,  came  to  be  saved,  are 
very  far  to  seek  ;  giving  this  answer,  That  there  were  some 
relics  of  the  heavenly  image  left  in  Adam,  by  which  the 
heathen  could  do  some  good  things.  Which,  as  it  is  in 
itself  without  proof,  so  it  contradicts  their  own  assertions 
elsewhere,  and  gives  away  their  cause.  For  if  these 
relics  were  of  force  to  enable  them  to  fulfil  the  righteous 
law  of  God,  it  takes  away  the  necessity  of  Christ's  com- 
ing ;  or  at  least  leaves  them  a  way  to  be  saved  without 
him  ;  unless  they  will  say  (which  is  worst  of  all)  That 
though  they  really  fulfilled  the  righteous  law  of  God,  yet 
God  damned  them,  because  of  the  want  of  that  particular 
knowledge,  while  he  himself  withheld  all  means  of  their 
coming  to  him,  from  them  ;  but  of  this  hereafter. 

§  III.  I  might  also  here  use  another  argument  from 
these  words  of  the  apostle,  1  Cor.  ii,  where  he  so  positively 
excludes  the  natural  man  from  an  understanding  in  the 
things  of  God  ;  but  because  I  have  spoken  of  that  scrip- 
ture in  the  beginning  of  the  second  proposition,  I  will  here 
avoid  to  repeat  what  is  there  mentioned,  referring  there-  Sociniatu 
unto  :  yet  because  the  Socinians  and  others,  who  exalt  the  fjgh'tofthe 
light  of  the  natural  man,  or  a  natural  light  in  man,  do  ob-  "^tural 
ject  against  this  scripture,  I  shall  remove  it  before  I  pro-  ^ . 

'        „°  '        '  ^  *Antequw 

ceed.'  progredmr 

They  say,  The  Greek  word  vj/u^^ixog  ought  to  be  trans-  Obje"!. 
lated  animal,  and  not  natural ;  else,  say  they,  it  would 
have  been  (puffixos.   From  which  they  seek  to  infer,  that  it 
is  only  the  animal  man,  and  not  the  rational,  that  is  ex- 


194 


PROPOSITION  IV. 


eluded  here  from  discerning  the  things  of  Guu.  Which 
shift,  without  disputing  about  the  word,  is  easily  refuted ; 
neither  is  it  any  wise  consistent  with  the  scope  of  the 
place.  For, 

Ans.  1.         First,  The  animal  life  is  no  other  than  that  which  man 

The  animal  ,     ,    •  •  i       i       i-  •  r  i  • 

man  is  ihe  hath  in  common  with  other  living  creatures;  for  as  he  is  a 

naturaT"''  '"^'^  man,  he  differs  no  otherwise  from  beasts  than  by  the 

rational  property.   Now  the  apostle  deduceth  his  argument 

in  the  foregoing  verses  from  this  simile ;  That  as  the  things 

of  a  man  cannot  be  known  but  by  the  spirit  of  a  man,  so 

the  things  of  God  no  man  knoweth  but  by  the  Spirit  of 

God.    But  I  hope  these  men  will  confess  unto  me,  that 

the  things  of  a  man  are  not  known  by  the  animal  spirit 

only,  i.  e.  by  that  which  he  hath  in  common  with  the 

beasts,  but  by  the  rational ;  so  that  it  must  be  the  rational 

that  is  here  understood.    Again,  the  assumption  shows 

clearly  that  the  apostle  had  no  such  intent  as  these  men's 

gloss  would  make  him  have,  viz.  :  "  So  the  things  of  God 

knoweth  no  man,  but  the  Spirit  of  God."    According  to 

their  judgment  he  should  have  said.  The  things  of  God 

knoweth  no  man  by  his  animal  spirit,  but  by  his  rational 

spirit:  for  to  say,  the  Spirit  of  God,  here  spoken  of,  is  no 

other  than  the  rational  spirit  of  man,  would  border  upon 

blasphemy,  since  they  are  so  often  contra-distinguished. 

Again,  going  on,  he  saith  not  that  they  are  rationally,  but 

spiritually  discerned. 

Alls.  2.         Secondly,  The  apostle  throughout  this  chapter  shows 

how  the  wisdom  of  man  is  unfit  to  judge  of  the  things  of 

God,  and  ignorant  of  them.   Now  I  ask  these  men,  whether 

a  man  be  called  a  wise  man  from  his  animal  property,  or 

The  ration-  from  his  rational.''   If  from  his  rational,  then  it  is  not  only 

'he^mitural  ^^e  animal,  but  also  the  rational,  as  he  is  yet  in  the  natural 

stale  ex-  state,  which  the  apostle  excludes  here,  and  whom  he  con- 
cluded from  .    .        ■  ,      ,     r  1  •  •       1  1  r  -r> 

discerning  tra-distmguishetli  from  the  spiritual,  verse  15,  But  the 
of'fiod""^   spiritual  man  judgeth  all  things.     This  cannot  be  said  of 
any  man  merely  because  rational,  or  as  he  is  a  man,  seeing 
the  men  of  the  greatest  reason,  if  we  may  so  esteem  men, 
whom  the  scripture  calls  wise,  as  were  the  Greeks  of  old. 


OF  MAN   IN   TIIK  FALL. 


iOS 


not  only  may  be,  but  often  are  enemies  to  tlie  kingdom  of 
God ;  while  both  the  preaching  of  Christ  is  said  to  be 
foolishness  with  the  wise  men  of  the  world,  and  the  wis- 
dom of  the  world  is  said  to  be  foolishness  with  God.  Now 
whether  it  be  any  ways  probable  that  either  these  wise  men 
that  are  said  to  account  the  gospel  foolishness,  are  only  so 
called  with  respect  to  their  animal  property,  and  not  their 
rational ;  or  that  the  wisdom  that  is  foolishness  with  God 
is  not  meant  of  the  rational,  but  only  the  animal  property, 
any  rational  man,  laying  aside  interest,  may  easily  judge. 

§  IV.  I  come  now  to  the  other  part,  to  wit.  That  this  infants,  no 
evil  and  corrupt  seed  is  not  imputed  to  infants,  until  ^o"tl'iem"°'' 
they  actually  join  with  it.  For  this  there  is  a  reason  given 
in  the  end  of  the  proposition  itself,  drawn  from  Eph.  ii. 
For  these  are  by  nature  children  of  wrath,  who  walk  ac- 
cording to  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,  the  spirit  that 
now  worketh  in  the  children  of  disobedience.  Here  the 
apostle  gives  their  evil  walking,  and  not  any  thing  that  is 
not  reduced  to  act,  as  a  reason  of  their  being  "  children  of 
wrath."  And  this  is  suitable  to  the  whole  strain  of  the 
gospel,  where  no  man  is  ever  threatened  or  judged  for 
what  iniquity  he  hath  not  actually  wrought :  such  indeed 
as  continue  in  iniquity,  and  so  do  allow  the  sins  of  their 
fathers,  God  will  visit  the  iniquity  of  the  fiithers  upon  the 
children. 

Is  it  not  strange  then  that  men  should  entertain  an  opinion 
so  absurd  in  itself,  and  so  cruel  and  contrary  to  the  nature 
as  well  of  God's  mercy  as  justice,  concerning  which  the 
scripture  is  altogether  silent  ?  But  it  is  manifest  that  man 
hath  invented  this  opinion  out  of  self-love,  and  from  that 
bitter  root  from  which  all  errors  spring  ;  for  the  most  part  The  a^8o• 
of  Protestants  that  hold  this,  having:,  as  they  fancy,  the  '"'."'/^cc'-e* 

'  oi  J  J  J         oi  election 

absolute  decree  of  election  to  secure  them  and  their  chil-  springs 
dren,  so  as  they  cannot  miss  of  salvation,  they  make  no  love. 
Jifficulty  to  send  all  others,  both  old  and  young,  to  hell. 
For  whereas  self-love,  which  is  always  apt  to  believe  that 
which  it  desires,  possesseth  them  with  a  hope  that  their 
par',  is  secure,  they  are  not  solicitous  how  they  leave  their 

o 


PROPOSITION  IV. 


neighbours,  which  are  the  far  greater  part  of  mankind,  in 
these  inextricable  difficulties.  The  Papists  again  use  this 
opinion  as  an  art  to  augment  the  esteem  of  their  church, 
and  reverence  of  its  sacraments,  seeing  they  pretend  it  is 
washed  away  by  baptism ;  only  in  this  they  appear  to  be  a 
little  more  merciful,  in  that  they  send  not  these  unbaptized 
infants  to  hell,  but  to  a  certain  limbus,  concerning  which 
the  scriptures  are  as  silent  as  of  the  other.  This  then  is  not 
only  not  authorized  in  the  scriptures,  but  contrary  to  the 
express  tenor  of  them.  The  apostle  saith  plainly,  Rom.  iv. 
15,  "  Where  no  law  is,  there  is  no  transgression."  And 
again,  eh.  v.  13,  <<  But  sin  is  not  imputed,  where  there  is 
no  law."  Than  which  testimonies  there  is  nothing  more 
To  infants  positive  ;  since  to  infants  there  is  no  law,  seeing  as  such 
law* so  no  ^^^y  Utterly  incapable  of  it ;  the  law  cannot  reach  any 
transgres-  but  such  as  have  in  some  measure  less  or  more  the  exer- 
cise  of  their  understanding,  which  infants  have  not.  So 
that  from  thence  I  argue  thus : 

Sin  is  imputed  to  none,  where  there  is  no  law. 

But  to  infants  there  is  no  law : 

Therefore  sin  is  not  imputed  to  them. 

The  proposition  is  the  apostle's  own  words ;  the  as- 
sumption is  thus  proved : 

Those  who  are  under  a  physical  Impossibility  of  either 
hearing,  knowing,  or  understanding  any  law,  where  the 
impossibility  is  not  brought  upon  them  by  any  act  of  their 
own,  but  is  according  to  the  very  order  of  nature  appointed 
by  God  ;  to  such  there  is  no  law. 

But  infants  are  under  this  physical  impossibility : 

Therefore,  &c. 

Secondly,  What  can  be  more  positive  than  that  of  Ezek. 
xviii.  20,  "  The  soul  that  sinneth,  it  shall  die  :  the  son  shall 
not  bear  the  iniquity  of  the  father."  For  the  piophet  here 
first  showeth  what  is  the  cause  of  man's  eternal  death, 
which  he  saith  is  his  sinning ;  and  then,  as  if  he  purposed 
expressly  to  shut  out  such  an  opinion,  he  assures  us,  "  The 
son  shall  not  bear  the  iniquity  of  the  father  "  From  which 
I  thus  argue : 


OF  MAN  IN  THE  FALL. 


101 


If  the  son  bear  not  the  hiiquity  of  his  father,  or  of  his  Infants 
immediate  parents,  far  less  shall  he  bear  the  iniquity  of  Adam's 

Adam.  transgres- 
sion. 

But  the  son  shall  not  bear  the  iniquity  of  his  father : 
Therefore,  &c. 

§  V.  Having  thus  far  shown  how  absu'd  this  opinion 
is,  I  shall  briefly  examine  the  reasons  its  authors  bring 
for  it. 

First,  They  say,  Adam  was  a  public  person,  and  there-  Obj.  i. 
fore  all  men  sinned  in  him,  as  being  in  his  loins.  And  for 
this  they  allege  that  of  Rom.  v.  12,  "  Wherefore  as  by  one 
man  sin  entered  into  the  world,  and  death  by  sin  ;  and  so 
death  passed  upon  all  men,  for  that  all  have  sinned." 
These  last  words,  say  they,  may  be  translated.  In  whom  all 
have  sinned. 

To  this  I  answer:  That  Adam  is  a  public  person  is  not  Answ, 
denied ;  and  that  through  him  there  is  a  seed  of  sin  pro- 
pagated to  all  men,  which  in  its  own  nature  is  sinful,  and 
inclines  men  to  iniquity  ;  yet  it  will  not  follow  from  thence, 
that  infants,  who  join  not  with  this  seed,  are  guilty.  As  for 
these  words  in  the  Romans,  the  reason  of  the  guilt  there 
alleged  is,  "  For  that  all  have  sinned."  Now  no  man  is 
said  to  sin,  unless  he  actually  sin  in  his  own  person  ;  for 
the  Greek  words  icp  u  may  very  well  relate  to  4ava7og,  which 
is  the  nearest  antecedent ;  so  that  they  hold  forth,  how  that 
Adam,  by  his  sin,  gave  an  entrance  to  sin  in  the  world  : 
and  so  death  entered  by  sin,  i(p'  w,  i.  e.  upon  which  [viz. 
occasion]  or,  in  which  [viz.  death]  all  others  have  sinned  ; 
that  is,  actually  in  their  own  persons ;  to  wit,  all  that  were 
capable  of  sinning :  of  which  number  that  infants  could  not 
be,  the  apostle  clearly  shows  by  the  following  verse  :  '<  Sin 
is  not  imputed,  where  there  is  no  law :"  and  since,  as  is 
above  proved,  there  is  no  law  to  infants,  they  cannot  be 
lere  included. 

Their  second  objection  is  from  Psalm  li.  5,  "  Behold  I  On,  fl 
was  shapen  in  iniquity,  and  in  sin  did  my  mother  conceive 
me."    Hence,  they  say,  it  appears  that  infants  from  their 
conception  are  guilty. 


108 


PROPOSITION  IV. 


Answ  . 


Conceived 
in  sin  an- 
swered. 


Ob;.  3. 


Aksw. 


Death  the 
wages  of 
sin  answer' 
ed. 


Obi.  4. 


Aniw, 


How  they  infer  this  consequence,  lor  my  part  I  see  not. 
The  iniquity  and  sin  here  appears  to  be  far  more  ascribable 
to  the  parents  than  to  the  child.  It  is  said  indeed,  "  In  sin 
did  my  mother  conceive  me  ;"  not  my  mother  did  coni;eive 
me  a  sinner.  Besides,  that,  so  interpreted,  contradicts  ex- 
pressly the  scripture  before-mentioned,  in  making  children 
guilty  of  the  sins  of  their  immediate  parents,  (for  of  Adam 
there  is  not  here  any  mention)  contrary  to  the  plain  words, 
"  the  son  shall  not  bear  the  father's  iniquity." 

Thirdly,  They  object,  "  That  the  wages  of  sin  is  death  ;" 
and  that  seeing  children  are  subject  to  diseases  and  death, 
therefore  they  must  be  guilty  of  sin. 

I  answer,  That  these  things  are  a  consequence  of  the 
fall,  and  of  Adam's  sin,  is  confessed  ;  but  that  that  infers 
necessarily  a  guilt  in  all  others  that  are  subject  to  them  is 
denied.  For  though  the  whole  outward  creation  suffered  a 
decay  by  Adam's  fall,  which  groans  under  vanity ;  accord- 
ing to  which  it  is  said  in  Job,  that  the  heavens  are  not 
clean  in  the  sight  of  God ;  yet  will  it  not  from  thence  fol- 
low, that  the  herbs,  earth,  and  trees  are  sinners. 

Next,  death,  though  a  consequent  of  the  fall,  incident 
to  man's  earthly  nature,  is  not  the  wages  of  sin  in  the 
saints,  but  rather  a  sleep,  by  which  they  pass  from  death 
to  life  ;  which  is  so  far  from  being  troublesome  and  pain- 
ful to  them,  as  all  real  punishments  for  sin  are,  that  the 
apostle  counts  it  gain :  "  To  me,"  saith  he,  '<  to  die  is 
gain."  Philip  i.  21. 

Some  are  so  foolish  as  to  make  an  objection  farther, 
saying.  That  if  Adam's  sin  be  not  imputed  to  those  whc 
actually  have  not  sinned,  then  it  would  follow  that  all  in- 
fants are  saved. 

But  we  are  willing  that  this  supposed  absurdity  shoula 
be  the  consequence  of  our  doctrine,  rather  than  that  which 
it  seems  our  adversaries  reckon  not  absurd,  though  the  un- 
doubted and  unavoidable  consequence  of  theirs,  viz. : 
That  many  infants  eternally  perish,  not  for  any  sin  of  their 
own,  but  only  for  Adam's  iniquity ;  where  we  are  willing 


OF  UNIVERSAI-   ANO   SAVING  LIGHT. 


to  let  the  controversy  stop,  commending  both  to  the  illu- 
minated understanding  of  the  Cliristian  reader. 

This  error  of  our  adversaries  is  both  denied  and  refuted 
by  Zuinglius,  that  eminent  founder  of  the  Protestant 
churches  of  Switzerland,  in  his  book  De  Baptismo,  for 
which  he  is  anathematized  by  the  Council  of  Trent,  in  the 
fifth  session.  We  shall  only  add  this  information  :  That 
we  confess  then  that  a  seed  of  sin  is  transmitted  to  all  men 
from  Adam,  although  imputed  to  none,  until  by  sinning 
they  actually  join  with  it ;  m  which  seed  he  gave  occasion 
to  all  to  sin,  and  it  is  the  origin  of  all  evil  actions  and 
thoughts  in  men's  hearts,  icp  w  to  wit,  doLvatu,  as  it  is  in 
Rom.  v.,  i.  e.,  in  which  death  all  have  sinned.  For  this 
seed  of  sin  is  frequently  called  death  in  the  scripture,  and 
the  body  of  death  ;  seeing  indeed  it  is  a  death  to  the  life 
of  righteousness  and  holiness  :  therefore  its  seed  and  its 
product  is  called  the  old  man,  the  old  Adam,  in  which  all 
sin  is  ;  for  which  cause  we  use  this  name  to  express  this  sin.  Original  am 
and  not  that  of  original  sin  ;  of  which  phrase  the  scripture  phrMe**""' 
makes  no  mention,  and  under  which  invented  and  unscrip- 
tural  barbarism  this  notion  of  imputed  sin  to  infants  took 
place  among  Christians. 


PROPOSITIONS  V.  AND  VI. 

Concerning  the  Universal  Redemption  by  Christ,  and  also 
the  Saving  and  Spiritual  Light,  wherewith  every  Man  is 
enlightened. 

PROPOSITION  V. 

God,  out  of  his  infinite  love,  who  delighteth  not  in  the  Ezek,  r»iii, 
death  of  a  sinner,  but  that  all  should  live  and  be  saved, 
hath  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  hath  given  his  only  Son 
a  Light,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  .shall  be  saved, 
IC 


no 


PROPOSITIONS   V.   AND  VI. 


J(/hn  iii.  16,  who  enlighteneth  every  man  that  cometh 
into  the  world,  John  i.  9,  and  maketh  manifest  all 
things  that  are  reprovable,  Ephes.  v.  13,  and  teacheth 
all  temperance,  righteousness,  and  godliness ;  \nd  this 
Light  enlighteneth  the  hearts  of  all  for  a  time,  :n  order 
to  salvation  ;  and  this  is  it  which  reproves  the  sin  of  all 
individuals,  and  would  work  out  the  salvation  of  all,  if 
not  resisted.  Nor  is  it  less  universal  than  the  seed  of 
sin,  being  the  purchase  of  his  death,  who  tasted  death 
for  every  man :  for  as  in  Adam  all  die,  even  so  in  Christ 
all  shall  be  made  alive,  1  Cor.  xv.  22. 


PROPOSITION  VI. 

According  to  which  principle  or  hypothesis  all  the  objec- 
tions against  the  universality  of  Christ's  death  are  easily 
solved  ;  neither  is  it  needful  to  recur  to  the  ministry  of 
angels,  and  those  other  miraculous  means  which  they 
say  God  useth  to  manifest  the  doctrine  and  history  of 
Christ's  passion  unto  such,  who,  living  in  parts  of  the 
world  where  the  outward  preaching  of  the  gospel  is  un- 
known, have  well  improved  the  first  and  common  grace. 
For  as  hence  it  well  follows  that  some  of  the  old  philo- 
sophers might  have  been  saved,  so  also  may  some,  who 
by  providence  are  cast  into  those  remote  parts  of  the 
world  where  the  knowledge  of  the  history  is  wanting, 
be  made  partakers  of  the  divine  mystery,  if  they  receive 
Cor.  iii.7.  and  resist  not  that  grace,  a  manifestation  whereof  is 
given  to  every  man  to  profit  withal.  This  most  certain 
doctrine  being  then  received,  that  there  is  an  evangelical 
and  saving  light  and  grace  in  all,  the  universality  of  th^ 
love  and  mercy  of  God  towards  mankind,  both  in  the 
death  of  his  beloved  Son  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  in  the 
manifestation  of  the  light  in  the  heart,  is  established  and 
confirmed,  against  all  the  objections  of  such  as  deny  it. 
iUb.  ii.  9.       Therefore  Christ  hath  tasted  death  for  every  man  ;  not 


OF  UNIVERSAL  AND  SAVING  LIGHT. 


only  for  all  kinds  of  men,  as  some  vainly  talk,  but  for 
every  man  of  all  kinds  ;  the  benefit  of  whose  ofl'ering  is 
not  only  extended  to  such  who  have  the  distinct  outward 
knowledge  of  his  death  and  sufferings,  as  the  same  is 
declared  in  the  scriptures,  but  even  unto  those  who  are 
necessarily  excluded  from  the  benefit  of  this  knowledge 
by  some  inevitable  accident ;  which  knowledge  we  wil- 
lingly confess  to  be  very  profitable  and  comfortable,  but 
not  absolutely  needful  unto  such  from  whom  God  him- 
sell  hath  withheld  it ;  yet  they  may  be  made  partakers 
of  the  mystery  of  his  death,  though  ignorant  of  the  his- 
tory, if  they  suffer  his  seed  and  light,  enlightening  their 
hearts,  to  take  place;  in  which  light  communion  with  the 
Father  and  the  Son  is  enjoyed;  so  as  of  wicked  men  to 
become  holy,  and  lovers  of  that  power,  by  whose  in- 
ward and  secret  touches  they  feel  themselves  turned  from 
the  evil  to  the  good,  and  learn  to  do  to  others  as  they 
would  be  done  by,  in  which  Christ  himself  affirms  all  to 
be  included.  As  they  have  then  falsely  and  erroneously 
taught,  who  have  denied  Christ  to  have  died  for  all  men  : 
so  neither  have  they  sufficiently  taught  the  truth,  who, 
affirming  him  to  have  died  for  all,  have  added  the  abso- 
lute necessity  of  the  outward  knowledge  thereof,  in 
order  to  obtain  its  saving  effect.  Among  whom  the  Re- 
monstrants of  Holland  have  been  chiefly  wanting,  and 
many  other  asserters  of  universal  redemption,  in  that 
they  have  not  placed  the  extent  of  this  salvation  in  that 
divine  and  evangelical  principle  of  light  and  life  where- 
with Christ  hath  enlightened  every  man  that  cometh  into 
the  world,  which  is  excellently  and  evidently  held  forth 
in  these  scriptures.  Gen.  vi.  3;  Deut.  xxx.  14;  John  i. 
7,  8,  9,  16  ;  Rom.  x.  8;  Titus,  ii.  11. 

Hitherto  we  have  considered  man's  fallen,  lost,  cor- 
rupted, and  degenerated  condition.  Now  it  is  fit  to  en- 
quire how,  and  by  what  means  he  may  come  to  be  freed 
out  of  this  miserable  and  depraved  condition,  which  in 
these  two  propositions  is  declared  and  demonstrated  ;  which 


112 


PROPOSITIONS  V.   AND  VI. 


Absolute 
reproba- 
tion,  that 
horrible  and 
blasphem- 
ous doc- 

rine,  de- 

cribed. 


This  doc- 
trine a  no- 
felty. 


I  thought  meet  to  place  together  because  of  their  affinity^ 
the  one  being  as  it  were  an  explanation  of  .he  other. 

As  for  that  doctrine  which  these  propositions  chiefly 
strike  at,  to  wit,  absolute  reprobation,  according  to  which 
some  are  not  afraid  to  assert,  That  God,  by  an  eternal 
and  immutable  decree,  hath  predestinated  to  eternal  dam- 
nation the  far  greater  part  of  mankind,  not  considered  ns 
made,  much  less  as  fallen,  without  any  respect  to  their  dis- 
obedience or  sin,  but  only  for  the  demonstrating  of  the 
glory  of  his  justice  ;  and  that  for  the  bringing  this  about, 
he  hath  appointed  these  miserable  souls  necessarily  to  walk 
in  their  wicked  ways,  that  so  his  justice  may  lay  hold  on 
them :  and  that  God  doth  therefore  not  only  suffer  them  to 
be  liable  to  this  misery  in  many  parts  of  the  world,  by 
withholding  from  them  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  and  the 
knowledge  of  Christ,  but  even  in  those  places  where  the 
gospel  is  preached,  and  salvation  by  Christ  is  offered ; 
whom  though  he  publicly  invite  them,  yet  he  justly  con- 
demns for  disobedience,  albeit  he  hath  withheld  from  them 
all  grace  by  which  they  could  have  laid  hold  of  the  gospel, 
viz. :  Because  he  hath,  by  a  secret  will  unknown  to  all 
men,  ordained  and  decreed  (without  any  respect  had  to 
their  disobedience  or  sin)  that  they  shall  not  obey,  and  that 
the  offer  of  the  gospel  shall  never  prove  effectual  for  their 
salvation,  but  only  serve  to  aggravate  and  occasion  their 
greater  condemnation. 

I  say,  as  to  this  horrible  and  blasphemous  doctrine,  our 
cause  is  common  with  many  others,  who  have  both  wisely 
and  learnedly,  according  to  scripture,  reason,  and  anti- 
quity, refuted  it.  Seeing  then  that  so  much  is  said  already 
and  so  well  against  this  doctrine,  that  little  can  be  super- 
added, except  what  hath  been  said  already,  I  shall  be  short 
in  this  respect ;  yet,  because  it  lies  so  in  opposition  to  my 
way,  I  cannot  let  it  altogether  pass. 

§  I.  First,  We  may  safely  call  this  doctrine  a  novelty, 
seeing  the  first  four  hundred  years  after  Christ  there  is  no 
men^on  made  of  it:  for  as  it  is  contrary  to  the  scripture's 
testimony,  and  to  the  tenor  of  the  gospel,  so  all  the  ancient 


Ol!    UNIVERSAL  AND  SAVING  LIGHT. 


113 


writers,  teachers,  and  doctors  of  the  cliurch  pass  it  over 
with  a  profound  silence.  The  first  foundations  of  it  were  The  rise  >i 
laid  in  the  Liter  writings  of  Augustine,  who,  in  his  heat 
against  Pelagius,  let  fall  some  expressions  which  some 
have  unhappily  gleaned  up,  to  the  establishing  of  this 
error ;  thereby  contradicting  the  truth,  and  sufficiently 
gainsaying  many  others,  and  many  more  and  frequent  ex- 
pressions of  the  same  Augustine.  Afterwards  was  this 
doctrine  fomented  by  Dominicus  a  friar,  and  the  monks 
of  his  order;  and  at  last  unhappily  taken  up  by  John  Cal- 
vin, otherwise  a  man  in  divers  respects  to  be  commended, 
to  the  great  staining  of  his  reputation,  and  defamation  both 
of  the  Protestant  and  Christian  religion;  which  though  it 
received  the  decrees  of  the  synod  of  Dort  for  its  confirma- 
tion, hath  since  lost  ground,  and  begins  to  be  exploded  by 
most  men  of  learning  and  piety  in  all  Protestant  churches. 
However,  we  should  not  oppugn  it  for  the  silence  of  the 
ancients,  paucity  of  its  asserters,  or  for  the  learnedness  of 
its  opposers,  if  we  did  observe  it  to  have  any  real  bottom 
in  the  writings  or  sayings  of  Christ  and  the  apostles,  and 
that  it  were  not  highly  injurious  to  God  himself,  to  Jesus  " 
Christ  our  Mediator  and  Redeemer,  and  to  the  power, 
virtue,  nobility,  and  excellency  of  his  blessed  gospel,  and 
lastly  unto  all  mankind. 

§  II.  First,  It  is  highly  injurious  to  God,  because  it  i.  Highly 
makes  him  the  author  of  sin,  which  of  all  things  is  most  qo'j -""^ 

contrary  to  his  nature.    I  confess  the  asserters  of  this  prin-  making 

.  ,     ,         ,  .  1        1       •    1  -11     him  the  au 

ciple  deny  this  consequence;  but  that  is  but  a  mere  illu-  thorofsin. 

sion,  seeing  it  so  naturally  follows  from  their  doctrine,  and 
is  equally  ridiculous,  as  if  a  man  should  pertinaciously 
jeny  that  one  and  two  make  three.  For  if  God  has  de- 
creed that  the  reprobated  ones  shall  perish,  without  all 
respect  to  their  evil  deeds,  but  only  of  his  own  pleasure, 
and  if  he  hath  also  decreed  long  before  they  were  in  being, 
or  in  a  capacity  to  do  good  or  evil,  that  they  should  walk 
in  those  wicked  ways,  by  which,  as  by  a  secondary  means, 
they  are  led  to  that  end  ;  who,  I  pray,  is  the  first  autho. 
and  cause  theieof  but  God,  who  so  willed  and  decreed.' 
10*  P 


114 


PROPOSITIONS    V.    AND  VI. 


This  is  as  natural  a  consequence  as  can  be :  and  therefore, 
although  many  of  the  preachers  of  this  doctrine  have 
sought  out  various,  strange,  strained,  and  intricate  dis- 
tinctions to  defend  their  opinion,  and  avoid  this  horrid 
consequence ;  yet  some,  and  that  of  the  most  eminent  oi" 
them,  have  been  so  plain  in  the  matter,  as  they  have  put 
it  beyond  all  doubt.  Of  which  I  shall  instance  a  few  among 
•  Calvin  in  many  passages.  *'<  I  say,  That  by  the  ordination  and  will 
Id^'I'lnst"'  of  God,  Adam  fell.    God  would  have  man  to  fall.  Man 

c.  18.  s.  1.  is  blinded  by  the  will  and  commandment  of  God.  We 
Id.  lib.  de  . 

Prsed.  Id.  refer  the  causes  of  hardening  us  to  God.  The  highest  or 
»kl.Id.inst"  remote  cause  of  hardening  is  the  will  of  God.  It  followeth 
c.  23.  s.  1.  that  the  hidden  counsel  of  God  is  the  cause  of  hardening." 
tBezalib.  These  are  Calvin's  expressions.  f<'God,"  saith  Beza, 
de  Praed.  tt  hath  predestinated  not  only  unto  damnation,  but  also 
t  Id.  de  unto  the  causes  of  it,  whomsoever  he  saw  meet."  i"The 
Art.  i.  decree  of  God  cannot  be  excluded  from  the  causes  of  cor- 
^Zanch.  de  ruption."  S'<  It  is  certain,"  saith  Zanchius,  "  that  God  is 
5.  Id.  lib*,  the  Ihst  cause  of  obduration.  Reprobates  are  held  so  fast 
D^i^^p^2  God's  almighty  decree,  that  they  cannot  but  sin  and 

de^pned.  perish."  ||"It  is  the  opinion,"  saith  Parseus,  <«  of  our 
lib.  3.  de'  doctors,  That  God  did  inevitably  decree  the  temptation 
tiee%  1'^'  ^■''^  man.  The  creature  sinneth  indeed  necessarily, 
Id.  c.  1.  by  the  most  just  judgment  of  God.  Our  men  do  most 
rightly  affirm,  that  the  fall  of  man  was  necessary  and  in- 
t  Martyr  cvitable,  by  accident,  because  of  God's  decree."  II"  God," 
in  Rom.  Martyr,  "  doth  incline  and  force  the  wills  of  wicked 

•*  Zuing.  men  into  great  sins."  **<' God,"  saith  Zuinglius,  "moveth 
jb^deProv.  jj^g  ^.^j^j^gj.  i^jjjg^^^        forcing  him  thereunto. 

But  thou  wilt  say,  he  is  forced  to  sin ;  I  permit  truly  that 
ttResp. adhe  is  forced."  ff"  Reprobate  persons,"  saith  Piscator, 
"  '""'^  absolutely  ordained  to  this  two-fold  end,  to  undf.-rgo 
everlasting  punishment,  and  necessarily  to  sin  ;  and  there- 
fore to  sin,  that  they  may  be  justly  punished." 

If  these  sayings  do  not  plainly  and  evidently  import  that 
God  is  the  author  of  sin,  we  must  not  then  seek  these  men's 
opinions  from  their  words,  but  some  way  else.  It  seems 
as  if  they  had  assumed  to  themselves  that  monstrous  and 


OF  U^'IVERSAL  AND  SAVING  LIGHT. 


115 


twofold  will  they  feign  of  God  ;  one  by  which  they  declare 
their  minds  openly,  and  another  more  secret  and  hidden, 
which  is  quite  contrary  to  the  other.  Nor  doth  it  at  all 
help  them,  to  say  that  man  sins  willingly,  since  that  willing- 
ness, proclivity,  and  propensity  to  evil  is,  according  to 
their  judgment,  so  necessarily  imposed  upon  him,  that  he 
cannot  but  be  willing,  because  God  hath  willed  and  de- 
(  eed  him  to  be  so.  Which  shift  is  just  as  if  I  should  take 
a  child  incapable  to  resist  me,  and  throw  it  down  from  a 
great  precipice  ;  the  weight  of  the  child's  body  indeed 
makes  it  go  readily  down,  and  the  violence  of  the  fall  upon 
some  rock  or  stone  beats  out  its  brains  and  kills  it.  Now 
then  I  pray,  though  the  body  of  the  child  goes  willingly 
down,  for  I  suppose  it,  as  to  its  mind,  incapable  of  any 
will,  and  the  weight  of  its  body,  and  not  any  immediate 
stroke  of  my  hand,  who  perhaps  am  at  a  great  distance, 
makes  it  die,  whether  is  the  child  or  I  the  proper  cause  of 
its  death.''  Let  any  man  of  reason  judge,  if  God's  part  be 
not,  with  them,  as  great,  yea,  more  immediate,  in  the  sins  of 
men,  as  by  the  testimonies  above  brought  doth  appear; 
whether  doth  not  this  make  him  not  only  the  author  of  sin, 
but  more  unjust  than  the  unjustest  of  men 

§  III.  Secondly,  This  doctrine  is  injurious  to  God,  be-  2.  It  mak(  t 
cause  it  makes  him  delight  in  the  death  of  sinners,  yea,  |^,°hedeatb 
and  to  will  many  to  die  in  their  sins,  contrary  to  these  sinner, 
scriptures,  Ezek.  xxxiii.  H  ;  1  Tim.  ii.  4;  2  Pet.  iii.  9. 
For  if  he  hath  created  men  only  for  this  very  end,  that  he 
might  show  forth  his  justice  and  power  in  them,  as  these 
men  affirm,  and  for  effecting  thereof  hath  not  only  with- 
held from  them  the  means  of  doing  good,  but  also  pre- 
destinated the  evil,  that  they  might  fall  into  it;  and  that 
he  inclines  and  forces  them  into  great  sins;  certainly  he 
must  necessarily  delight  in  their  death,  and  will  them  to 
die  ;  seeing  against  his  own  will  he  neither  doth,  nor  can 
do  any  thing. 

§  IV.  Thirdly,  It  is  highly  injurious  to  Christ  our  me-  3  It  render* 
diator,  and  to  the  efficacy  and  excellency  of  his  gospel  ;  „Jd,a',ion 
for  it  renders  his  mediation  ineffectual,  as  if  he  had  not  by  ""-fl'c  ual 


1.' 


PROPOSITIONS  V.   AND  TI. 


his  sufferings  thoroughly  broken  down  the  middle  wall,  noi 
yet  removed  the  wrath  of  God,  nor  purchased  the  love  of 
God  towards  all  mankind,  if  it  was  afore  decreed  that  il 
should  be  of  no  service  to  the  far  greater  part  of  mankind. 
It  is  to  no  purpose  to  allege,  that  the  death  of  Christ  was 
of  efficacy  enough  to  have  saved  all  mankind,  if  in  effect 
its  virtue  be  not  so  far  extended  as  to  put  all  mankind  into 
a  capacity  of  salvation, 
r  It  makes  Fourthly,  It  makes  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  a  meit 
a  ittick.  mock  and  illusion,  if  many  of  these,  to  whom  it  is  preach- 
ed, be  by  an  irrevocable  decree  excluded  from  being 
benefited  by  it ;  it  wholly  makes  useless  the  preaching  of 
faith  and  repentance,  and  the  whole  tenor  of  the  gospel 
promises  and  threatenings,  as  being  all  relative  to  a  former 
decree  and  means  before  appointed  to  such  ;  which,  be- 
cause they  cannot  fail,  man  needs  do  nothing  but  wait  for 
that  irresistible  juncture,  which  will  come,  though  it  be 
but  at  the  last  hour  of  his  life,  if  he  be  in  the  decree  of 
election  ;  and  be  his  diligence  and  waiting  what  it  can,  he 
shall  never  attain  it,  if  he  belong  to  the  decree  of  repro- 
bation. 

5.  It  makes  Fifthly,  It  makes  the  coming  of  Christ,  and  his  propi- 
the  coming    .  -n  i-ii  •  ir  i  i 

of  Christ     tiatory  sacrifice,  which  the  scripture  airirms  to  have  been 

wrath  "'^     ''^•^  God's  love  to  the  world,  and  transacted  for  the 

sins  and  salvation  of  all  men,  to  have  been  rather  a  testi- 
mony of  God's  wrath  to  the  world,  and  one  of  the  greatest 
judgments,  and  severest  acts  of  God's  indignation  towards 
mankind,  it  being  only  ordained  to  save  a  very  few,  and 
for  the  hardening,  and  augmenting  the  condemnation  of 
the  far  greater  number  of  men,  because  they  believe  not 
truly  in  it ;  the  cause  of  which  unbelief  again,  as  the  divines 
[so  called]  above  assert,  is  the  hidden  counsel  of  God  ; 
certainly  the  coming  of  Christ  was  never  to  them  a  testi- 
mony of  God's  love,  but  rather  of  his  implacable  wrath . 
flnd  if  the  world  may  be  taken  for  the  far  greater  number 
of  such  as  live  in  it,  God  never  loved  the  world,  according 
to  this  doctrine,  but  rather  hated  it  greatly,  in  sending  his 
Son  io  be  crucified  in  it. 


OF  UNIVERSAL  AND  SAVING  LIGHT. 


117 


§  V.  Sixthly,  This  doctrine  is  highly  injurious  to  man-  6.  It  ren- 

Kind  ;  for  it  renders  thein  in  a  far  worse  condition  than  Ine  iJ'^'i'^d y^*"' 

devils  in  hell.  For  these  were  some  time  in  a  capacity  to  "orse  con 
1  1         II        n-        I    /■      1    •  -1         I         union  tha; 

nave  stood,  and  do  sutler  only  tor  their  own  guut ;  vvriere-  the  de- 

as  many  millions  of  men  are  for  ever  tormented,  according 
to  ihim,  for  Adam's  sin,  which  they  neither  knew  of,  nor 
ever  were  accessary  to.  It  renders  them  worse  than  the 
bea.sts  of  the  field,  of  whom  the  master  requires  no  more 
than  they  are  able  to  perform  ;  and  if  they  be  killed,  death 
to  thim  is  the  end  of  sorrow ;  whereas  man  is  for  ever  tor- 
mented for  not  doing  that  which  he  never  was  able  to  do. 
It  puts  him  into  a  far  worse  condition  than  Pharaoh  put  —Than  ths 
the  Israelites;  for  though  he  withheld  straw  from  them,  ^^^H^'pJ, 
yet  by  mucli  labour  and  pains  they  could  have  gotten  it :  faoh. 
but  from  men  they  make  God  to  withhold  all  means  of 
salvation,  so  that  they  can  by  no  means  attain  it ;  yea,  they 
place  mankind  in  that  condition  which  the  poets  feign  of 
Tantalus,  who,  oppressed  with  thirst,  stands  in  water  up  to  Tantajus't 
the  chin,  yet  can  by  no  means  reach  it  with  his  tongue ; 
and  being  tormented  with  hunger,  hath  fruits  hanging  at 
his  very  lips,  yet  so  as  he  can  never  lay  hold  on  them  with 
his  teeth ;  and  these  things  are  so  near  him,  not  to  nourish 
him,  but  to  torment  him.  So  do  these  men:  they  make 
the  outward  creation  of  the  works  of  Providence,  the 
smitings  of  conscience,  sufficient  to  convince  the  heathen 
of  sin,  and  so  to  condemn  and  judge  them  :  but  not  at  all 
to  help  them  to  salvation.  They  make  the  preaching  of 
the  gospel,  the  offer  of  salvation  by  Christ,  the  use  of  the 
sacraments,  of  prayer,  and  good  works,  sufficient  to  con- 
Jsmn  those  they  account  reprobates  within  the  church, 
serving  only  to  inform  them  to  beget  a  seeming  faith  and 
Fain  hope ;  yet  because  of  a  secret  impotency,  which  they 
(jad  from  their  infancy,  all  these  are  wholly  ineffectual  to 
bring  them  the  least  step  towards  salvation  ;  and  do  only 
contribute  to  render  their  condemnation  the  greater,  and 
their  torments  the  more  violent  and  intolerable. 

Having  thus  briefly  removed  this  false  doctrine  which 
stood  in  my  way,  because  they  that  are  desirous  may  seo  \\ 


118 


PROPOSITIONS  V.   AND  VI. 


both  learnedly  and  piously  refuted  by  many  others,  I  mme 
to  the  matter  of  our  proposition,  whicli  is,  That  -'.God  out 
of  his  infinite  love,  who  delighteth  not  in  the  death  of  a 
sinner,  but  that  all  should  live  and  be  saved,  hath  sent  his 
only  begotten  Son  into  the  world,  that  whosoever  believeth 
in  him  might  be  saved  ;"  which  also  is  again  affirmed  in  the 
Chrisi  tast-  sixlh  proposition,  in  these  words,  Christ  then  tasted  death 
every^ma'n.'^  for  every  man,  of  all  kinds.    Such  is  the  evidence  of  this 
truth,  delivered  almost  wholly  in  the  express  words  of 
scripture,  that  it  will  not  need  much  probation.    Also,  be- 
cause our  assertion  herein  is  common  with  many  others, 
who  have  both  earnestly  and  soundly,  according  to  the 
scripture,  pleaded  for  this  universal  redemption,  I  shall  be 
the  more  brief  in  it,  that  I  may  come  to  that  which  may 
seem  more  singularly  and  peculiarly  ours. 
Christ's  rc-     §  Vf.  This  doctrine  of  universal  redemption,  or  Christ's 
universal,    dying  for  all  men,  is  of  itself  so  evident  from  the  scripture 
contrary  to  testimony,  that  there  is  sca.oe  found  any  other  article  of 

i..edoctrine  ... 

jf  absolute  the  Christian  faith  so  frequently,  so  plainly,  and  so  posi- 
Uon.*'^*'  tively  asserted.  It  is  that  which  maketh  the  preaching  of 
Christ  to  be  truly  termed  the  gospel,  or  an  annunciation  of 
glad  tidings  to  all.  Thus  the  angel  declared  the  birth  and 
coming  of  Christ  to  the  shepherds  to  be,  Luke  ii.  10,  "  Be- 
hold, I  bring  you  good  tidings  of  great  joy,  which  shall  be 
to  all  people :"  he  saith  not,  to  a  few.  Now  if  this  coming 
of  Christ  had  not  brought  a  possibility  of  salvation  to  all, 
it  should  rather  have  been  accounted  bad  tidings  of  great 
sorrow  to  most  people ;  neither  should  the  angel  have  had 
reason  to  have  sung,  "  Peace  on  earth,  and  good  will  to- 
wards men,"  if  the  greatest  part  of  mankind  had  been 
necessarily  shut  out  from  receiving  any  benefit  by  it.  How 
should  Christ  have  sent  out  his  servants  to  "  preach  the 
gospel  to  every  creature,"  Mark  xvi.  15,  (a  very  comprc 
hensive  commission)  that  is,  to  every  son  and  daughter  ot 
mankind,  without  all  exception He  commands  them  to 
preach  salvation  to  all,  repentance  and  remissir>n  of  sins 
to  all ;  warning  every  one,  and  exhorting  every  one,  as 
Paul  did,  Col.  i.  28.    Now  how  could  they  have  preached 


OF  UNIVKRSAL.  AND  SAVING  LIGHT. 


119 


the  gospel  to  every  man,  as  became  the  ministers  of  J.!Siis  The  gospel 
Christ,  in  much  assurance,  if  salvation  by  that  gospel  had  evTry'**' 
not  been  possible  to  all  ?  What !  if  some  of  those  had  "i*" 
asked  them,  or  should  now  ask  any  of  these  doctors,  who 
deny  the  universality  of  Christ's  death,  and  yet  preach  it  to 
all  promiscuously,  Hath  Christ  died  for  me  ?  How  can 
they,  with  confidence,  give  a  certain  answer  to  this  ques- 
tion ?  If  they  give  a  conJitional  answer,  as  their  principle 
obligeth  them  to  do,  and  say,  If  thou  repent,  Christ  hath 
died  for  thee  ;  doth  not  the  same  question  still  recur  ?  Hath 
Christ  died  for  me,  so  as  to  make  repentance  possible  to 
me  ?  To  this  they  can  answer  nothing,  unless  they  run  in 
a  circle ;  whereas  the  feet  of  those  that  bring  the  glad 
tidings  of  the  gospel  of  peace  are  said  to  be  beautiful,  for 
that  they  preach  the  common  salvation,  repentance  unto 
all ;  oflering  a  door  of  mercy  and  hope  to  all,  through 
Jesus  Christ,  who  gave  himself  a  ransom  for  all.  The 
gospel  invites  all  ;  and  certainly  by  the  gospel  Christ  in- 
tended not  to  deceive  and  delude  the  greater  part  of  man- 
kind, when  he  invites  and  crieth,  saying  ;  "  Come  unto 
me,  all  ye  that  labour  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give 
you  rest."  If  all  then  ought  to  seek  after  him,  and  to  look 
for  salvation  by  him,  he  must  needs  have  made  salvation 
possible  to  all ;  for  who  is  bound  to  seek  after  that  which 
is  impossible Certainly  it  were  a  mocking  of  men  to  bid 
them  do  so.  And  such  as  deny,  that  by  the  death  of  Christ 
salvation  is  made  possible  to  all  men,  do  most  blasi)he- 
mously  make  God  mock  the  world,  in  giving  his  servants  a 
commission  to  preach  the  gospel  of  salvation  unto  all, 
while  he  hath  before  decreed  that  it  shall  not  be  possible 
for  them  to  receive  it.  Would  not  this  make  the  Lord  to  'I'heabiur 
send  forth  his  servants  with  a  lie  in  their  mouth,  (which  doctHne^of 
were  blasphemous  to  think)  commanding  them  to  bid  all  ahsdluter* 
and  every  one  believe  that  Christ  died  for  them,  and  had  P"^"^*""*" 
purchased  life  and  salvation }  whereas  it  is  no  such  thing, 
according  to  the  forcmcntioned  doctrine.  But  seeing 
Christ,  after  he  arose-  and  perfected  the  work  of  our  ro- 
Jemption,  gave  a  commission  to  preach  repentance,  remis- 


PROPOSITIONS  V.  AND  VI. 


sion  of  sins,  and  salvation  to  all,  it  is  manifest  that  he  died 
for  all.  For,  He  that  hath  comraissionated  his  servants  thus 
to  preach,  is  a  God  of  truth,  and  no  mocker  of  poor  man- 
kind ;  neither  doth  he  require  of  any  man  that  which  is 
simply  impossible  for  him  to  do  :  for  that  no  man  is  bound 
to  do  that  which  is  impossible,  is  a  principle  of  truth  en- 
graven in  every  man's  mind.  And  seeing  he  is  both  a  most 
righteous  and  merciful  God,  it  cannot  at  all  stand,  cither 
with  his  justice  or  mercy,  to  bid  such  men  repent  or  be- 
lieve, to  whom  it  is  impossible. 

§  VII.  Moreover,  if  we  regard  the  testimony  of  the  scrip- 
ture in  this  matter,  where  there  is  not  one  scripture,  that  I 
know  of,  which  affirmeth  Christ  not  to  die  for  all,  there  are 
divers  that  positively  and  expressly  assert,  He  did  ;  as  1 
To  pray  for  Tim.  ii.  1,  3,  4,  6  :  «  I  exhort  therefore,  that  first  of  all, 
Christ'dicd  supplications,  prayers,  intercessions,  and  giving  of  thanks, 
tar  all—  be  made  for  all  men,"  &,c.  "  For  this  is  good  and  accept- 
able in  the  sight  of  God  our  Saviour,  who  will  have  all 
men  to  be  saved,  and  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the 
truth  ;  who  gave  himself  a  ransom  for  all,  to  be  testified  in 
due  time."  Except  we  will  have  the  apostle  here  to  assert 
quite  another  thing  than  he  intended,  there  can  be  nothing 
more  plain  to  confirm  what  we  have  asserted.  And  this 
scripture  doth  well  answer  to  that  manner  of  arguing  which 
we  have  hitherto  used  :  for,  first,  the  apostle  here  recom- 
mends them  to  pray  for  all  men  ;  and  to  obviate  such  an 
objection,  as  if  he  had  said  with  our  adversaries,  Christ 
prayed  not  for  the  world,  neither  willeth  he  us  to  pray  for 
all ;  because  he  willeth  not  that  all  should  be  saved,  but 
hath  o'rdained  many  to  be  damned,  that  he  might  show  forth 
his  justice  in  them;  he  obviates,  I  say,  such  an  objection, 
—And  will  telling  them,  that  "it  is  good  and  acceptable  In  the  sight 

mTr^tc'be   °^  ^^^^        ^""'^^^  ^^^^      ""^^  saved."    I  desire  to 

•aved.  know  what  can  be  more  expressly  affirmed  ?  or  can  any  two 
propositions  be  stated  in  terms  more  contradictory  than 
these  two  ?  God  willeth  not  some  to  be  saved  ;  and,  God 
willeth  all  men  to  be  saved,  or,  God  will  have  no  man  pe- 
rish.   If  we  believe  the  last,  as  the  apostle  hath  affirmed, 


OF  UNIVERSAL  AND  SAVING  LIGHT. 


121 


the  first  must  be  destroyed  ;  seeing  of  contradictory  propo- 
sitions, the  one  being  admitted,  the  other  is  destroyed. 
Whence,  to  conclude,  he  gives  us  a  reason  of  his  willing- 
ness that  all  men  should  be  saved,  in  these  words,  "Who 
gave  himself  a  ransom  for  all ;"  as  if  he  would  have  said, 
Sin'-e  Christ  died  for  all,  since  he  gave  himself  a  ransom 
for  all,  therefore  he  will  have  all  men  to  be  saved.  This 
Christ  himself  gives  as  a  reason  of  God's  love  to  the  world, 
in  these  words,  John  iii.  16  :  "  God  so  loved  the  world, 
that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  be- 
lieveth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life ;" 
compared  with  1  John  iv.  9.  This  [whosoever]  is  an  in- 
definite term,  from  which  no  man  is  excluded.  From  all 
which  then  I  thus  argue  : 

For  whomsoever  it  is  lawful  to  pray,  to  them  salvation  Arg.  i 
is  possible  : 

But  it  is  lawful  to  pray  for  every  individual  man  in  the 
whole  world : 

Therefore  salvation  is  possible  unto  them. 
I  prove  the  major  proposition  thus ; 

No  man  is  bound  to  pray  for  that  which  is  impossible  to  Arg.  ». 
be  attained : 

But  every  man  is  bound  and  commanded  to  pray  for  all 
men : 

Therefore  it  is  not  impossible  to  be  obtained. 
I  prove  also  this  proposition  further,  thus  ; 

No  man  is  bound  to  pray,  but  in  faith  :  Arg.  8 

But  he  that  prayeth  for  that,  which  he  judges  simply  im- 
possible to  be  obtained,  cannot  pray  in  faith : 

Therefore,  &c. 
Again, 

That  which  God  willeih  is  not  impossible :  Arg.  4 

But  God  willeth  all  men  to  be  saved : 
Therefore  it  is  not  impossible. 
And  lastly  ; 

Those  for  whom  our  Saviour  gave  himself  a  ransom,  to  Arg.  5 
such  salvation  is  possible  : 

But  our  Saviour  gave  himself  a  ransom  for  all : 
11  Q 


i22 


PROPOSITIONS  \.   AND  VI. 


Therefore  salvation  is  possible  unto  them. 
Proof  1.         §  VIII.  This  is  very  positively  affirmed,  Heb.  ii,  9,  ir 
these  words,  "  But  we  see  Jesus,  who  was  made  a  little 
lower  than  the  angels,  for  the  suffering  of  death  crowned 
with  glory  and  honour,  that  he  by  the  grace  of  God  should 
taste  death  for  every  man."    He  that  will  but  open  his 
eyes,  may  see  this  truth  here  asserted :  if  he  '<  tasted  death 
for  every  man,"  then  certainly  there  is  no  man  for  whouj 
he  did  not  taste  death ;  then  there  is  no  man  who  may  not 
be  made  a  sharer  of  the  benefit  of  it ;  for  he  came  not 
"  to  condemn  the  world,  but  that  the  world  through  him 
might  be  saved,"  John  iii.  17.    "He  came  not  to  judge 
Our  adver-  the  world,  but  to  save  the  world,"  John  xii.  47.  Whereas, 
docfr^ine'of*  according  to  the  doctrine  of  our  adversaries,  he  rather 
aereat  part  came  to  condemn  the  world,  and  judge  it  ;  and  not  that  it 

of  mankind      •   ,      ,  i   i     i  •  .        n      ■/•  i 

being  pre-  miglit  be  Saved  by  him,  or  to  save  it.  r  or  it  he  never 
dwnna^fon"^  came  to  bring  salvation  to  the  greater  part  of  mankind,  but 
refuted.  that  his  coming,  though  it  could  never  do  them  good,  yet 
shall  augment  their  condemnation ;  from  thence  it  necessa- 
rily follows,  that  he  came  not  of  intention  to  save,  but  to 
judge  and  condemn  the  greater  part  of  the  world,  contrary 
to  his  own  express  testimony  ;  and  as  the  apostle  Paul,  in 
the  words  above  cited,  doth  assert  affirmatively.  That 
God  willeth  the  salvation  of  all,  so  doth  the  apostle  Peter 
Prool  2.  assert  negatively,  That  he  willeth  not  the  perishing  of 
any,  2  Pet.  iii.  9.  "  The  Lord  is  not  slack  concerning  his 
promise,  as  some  men  count  slackness ;  but  is  long  suffer- 
ing to  us-ward,  not  willing  that  any  should  perish,  but  that 
all  should  come  to  repentance."  And  this  is  correspon 
dent  to  that  of  the  prophet  Ezekiel,  xxxiii.  11:  "  As  I  live, 
saith  the  Lord,  I  have  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the 
wicked;  but  that  the  wicked  turn  from  his  way  and  live." 
If  it  be  safe  to  believe  God,  and  trust  in  him,  we  must  not 
think  that  he  intends  to  cheat  us  by  all  these  expressions 
through  his  servants,  but  that  he  was  in  good  earnest.  And 
that  this  will  and  desire  of  his  hath  not  taken  efTect,  the 
blame  is  on  our  parts,  as  shall  be  after  spoken  of;  which 
co  ild  not  be,  if  we  never  were  in  any  capacity  of  salva- 


OF  UNIVERSAL  AND  SAVING  LIv,HT. 


123 


ti(Mi,  or  that  Christ  liad  never  died  for  us,  but  left  us  undei 
an  impossibility  of  salvation.  What  mean  all  those  earnest 
invitations,  all  those  serious  expostulations,  all  those  re- 
gretting contemplations,  wherewith  the  holy  scriptures  are 
full  ?  As,  Why  will  ye  die,  0  house  of  Israel !  Why 
w  ill  ye  not  come  unto  me,  that  ye  might  have  life  ?  I  have 
waited  to  be  gracious  unto  you  :  I  have  sought  to  gather 
you  :  I  have  knocked  at  the  door  of  your  hearts :  Is  not 
your  destruction  of  yourselves  ?  I  have  called  all  the  day 
long.  If  men  who  are  so  invited  be  under  no  capacity  of 
being  saved,  if  salvation  be  impossible  unto  them,  shall  we 
suppose  God  in  this  to  be  no  other  but  like  the  author  of  a 
romance,  or  master  of  a  comedy,  who  amuses  and  raises 
the  various  aflfections  and  passions  of  his  spectators  by 
divers  and  strange  accidents ;  sometimes  leading  them  into 
hope,  and  sometimes  into  despair ;  all  those  actions,  in 
effect,  being  but  a  mere  illusion,  while  he  hath  appointed 
what  the  conclusion  of  all  shall  be.-* 

Thirdly,  This  doctrine  is  abundantly  confirmed  by  that  Proof  S. 
of  the  apostle,  1  John  ii.  1,  2:  "And  if  any  man  sin,  we 
have  an  advocate  with  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ  the  right- 
eous.   And  he  is  the  propitiation  for  our  sins ;  and  not  for 
ours  only,  but  also  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world."  The  Adversa- 
way  which  our  adversaries  take  to  evite  this  testimony,  is  nientcm^he 

most  foolish  and  ridiculous:  the  world  here,  sav  they,  is  words/'tht 

'  •'  '  whole 

the  world  of  believers:  for  this  commentary  ve  have  no-  world." 

thing  but  their  own  assertion,  and  so  while  it  manifestly 
destroys  the  text,  may  be  justly  rejected.  For,  first,  let 
them  show  me,  if  they  can,  in  all  the  scripture,  where  the 
whole  world  is  taken  for  believers  only ;  I  shall  show 
them  where  it  is  many  times  taken  for  the  quite  contrary  ; 
as.  The  world  knows  me  not :  The  world  receives  me 
not:  I  am  not  of  this  world:  besides  all  these  scrip- 
tures, Psalm  xvii.  14;  Isai.  xiii.  11  ;  Mat.  xviii.  7;  John 
vii.  7,  and  viii.  26,  gnd  xii.  19,  and  xiv.  17,  and  xv.  18, 
19,  an  1  xvii.  14,  and  xviii.  20  ;  1  Cor.  i,  21,  and  ii.  12,  and 
vi.  2;  Gal.  vi.  14  ;  James  i.  27  ;  2  Pet.  ii.  20 ;  1  John  ii, 
15,  and  iii.  1,  and  iv.  4,  5,  and  many  more.  Secondly, 


PROPOSITIONS  V.   AND  VI. 


The  apostle  in  this  very  place  conlra-distiriguisheth  .ne 
world  from  the  saints  tlius ;  "  And  not  for  ours  only,  but 
for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world  :"  What  means  the  apostle 
by  ours  here?  Is  not  that  the  sins  of  believers?  Was 
not  he  one  of  those  believers?  And  was  not  this  an  uni- 
versal epistle,  written  to  all  the  saints  that  then  were?  So 
that  according  to  these  men's  corament,  there  should  be  a 
very  unnecessary  and  foolish  redundancy  in  the  apostle's 
words ;  as  if  he  had  said,  He  is  a  propitiation  not  only  for 
the  sins  of  all  believers,  but  for  the  sins  of  all  believers : 
Is  not  this  to  make  the  apostle's  words  void  of  good  sense  ? 
Let  them  show  us  wherever  there  is  such  a  manner  of  speak- 
ing in  all  the  scripture,  w  here  any  of  the  penmen  first  name 
the  believers  in  concreto  with  themselves,  and  then  contradis- 
tinguish them  from  some  other  whole  world  of  believers  ? 
That  whole  world  if  it  be  of  believers,  must  not  be  the 
world  we  live  in.  But  we  need  no  better  interpreter  for 
the  apostle  than  himself,  who  uses  the  very  same  expression 
and  phrase  in  the  same  epistle,  ch.  v.  19,  saying,  "  We 
know  that  we  are  of  God,  and  the  whole  world  lielh  in 
wickedness."  There  cannot  be  found  in  all  the  scripture 
two  places  which  run  more  parallel ;  seeing  in  both,  the 
aame  apostle,  in  the  same  epistle  to  the  same  persons,  con- 
Iradistinguisheth  himself,  and  the  saints  to  whom  he  writes, 
from  the  whole  world ;  which,  according  to  these  men's 
commentary,  ought  to  be  understood  of  believers:  as  if 
John  had  said.  We  know  particular  believers  are  of  God  ; 
but  the  whole  world  of  believers  lieth  in  wickedness.  What 
absurd  wresting  of  scripture  were  this?  And  yet  it  may 
be  as  well  pleaded  for  as  the  other;  for  they  differ  not  at 
all.  Seeing  then  that  the  apostle  John  tells  us  plainly,  That 
Christ  not  only  died  for  him,  and  for  the  saints  and  mem- 
bers of  .he  church  of  God,  to  whom  he  wrote,  but  for  the 
whole  world,  let  us  then  hold  it  for  a  certain  and  undoubted 
truth,  notwithstanding  the  cavils  of  such  as  oppose. 

This  might  also  be  proved  from  many  more  scripture 
testimonies,  if  it  were  at  this  season  needful.  All  the 
fathers,  so  called,  and  doctors  of  the  church,  for  the  first 


OF  UNIVF.RSAI,  AND  SAVING  LIGHT. 


125 


ftjur  centuries,  preached  this  doctrine  ;  accoraing  to  which 
ihey  boldly  held  forth  the  gospel  of  Christ,  and  efficacy  of  TL-  hea- 
his  death;  inviting  and  entreating  the  heathen  to  come  vited'tosal- 
and  be  partakers  of  the  benefits  of  it,  showing  them  how  nation; 

r  '  o  none  pre 

there  was  a  door  opened  for  them  all  to  be  saved  through  destinated 
Jesus  Christ;  not  telling  them  that  God  had  predestinated  tion!"""^ 
any  of  them  to  damnation,  or  had  made  salvation  impossi- 
ble to  them,  by  withholding  power  and  grace,  necessary  to 
believe,  from  them.    But  of  many  of  their  sayings,  which 
might  be  alleged,  I  shall  only  instance  a  few. 

Augustine  on  the  xcvth  Psalm  saith,  "The  blood  of  Proof 4. 
Christ  is  of  so  great  worth,  that  it  is  of  no  less  value  than  monieg^of 

the  whole  world."  the  doctors 

and  tattlers 

Prosper  ad  Gall.  c.  9:  "The  redeemer  of  the  world  of  the  first 
gave  his  blood  for  the  world,  and  the  world  would  not  be  chr^ist'died 
redeemed,  because  the  darkness  did  not  receive  the  light. 
He  that  saith,  the  Saviour  was  not  crucified  for  the  re- 
demption of  the  whole  world,  looks  not  to  the  virtue  of 
the  sacrament,  but  to  the  part  of  infidels ;  since  the  blood 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  the  price  of  the  whole  world  ; 
from  which  redemption  they  are  strangers,  who  either  de- 
lighting in  their  captivity  would  not  be  redeemed,  or  after 
they  were  redeemed  returned  to  the  same  servitude." 

The  same  Prosper,  in  his  answer  to  Vincentius's  first 
objection:  "  Seeing  therefore  because  of  one  common  na- 
ture and  cause  in  truth,  undertaken  by  our  Lord,  all  are 
rightly  said  to  be  redeemed,  and  nevertheless  all  are  not 
brought  out  of  captivity  ;  the  property  of  redemption  with- 
out doubt  belongeth  to  those  from  whom  the  prince  of  this 
world  is  shut  out,  and  now  are  not  vessels  of  the  devil,  but 
members  of  Christ ;  whose  death  was  so  bestowed  upon 
mankind,  that  it  belonged  to  the  redemption  of  such  who 
wf-e  not  to  be  regenerated.  But  so,  that  that  which  was 
done  by  the  example  of  one  for  all,  might,  by  a  singular 
mystery,  be  celebrated  in  every  one.  For  the  cup  of  im- 
mortality, which  is  made  up  of  our  infirmity  and  the  divine 
power,  hath  indeed  that  in  it  which  may  profit  all ;  b  it  if 
it  be  not  drunk,  it  doth  not  heal." 
11  • 


126 


PROPOSITIONS  V.   AND  VI. 


The  cause 
they  re- 
main in 
darkness. 


The  sun- 
beams shut 
out,  heut 
not. 


The  author  de  vocal,  gentium,  lib.  11.  cap.  6:  "Thort 
is  no  caii.se  to  doubt  but  that  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  died 
for  sinners  and  wicked  men.  And  if  there  can  be  any 
found,  who  may  be  said  not  to  be  of  this  number,  Christ 
hath  not  died  for  all ;  he  made  himself  a  rei'eemer  for  tlie 
whole  world." 

Chrysostom  on  John  i. :  "  If  he  enlightens  every  man 
coming  into  the  world,  how  comes  it  that  so  many  men 
remain  without  light.-'  For  all  do  not  so  much  as  acknow- 
ledge Christ.  How  then  doth  he  enlighten  .every  man .'' 
He  illuminates  indeed  so  far  as  in  him  is ;  but  if  any  of 
their  own  accord,  closing  the  eyes  of  their  mind,  will  not 
direct  their  eyes  unto  the  beams  of  this  light,  the  cause  that 
they  remain  in  darkness  is  not  from  the  nature  of  the  light, 
but  through  their  own  malignity,  who  willingly  have  ren- 
dered themselves  unworthy  of  so  great  a  gift.  But  why 
believed  they  not Because  they  would  not:  Christ  did 
his  part." 

The  Arelatensian  synod,  held  about  the  year  490,  <■'•  Pro- 
nounced him  accursed,  who  should  say  that  Christ  hath 
not  died  for  all,  or  that  he  would  not  have  all  men  to  be 
saved." 

Ambrose  on  Psalm  cxviii.  Serm.  8:  "  The  mystical  Sun 
of  Righteousness  is  arisen  to  all ;  he  came  to  all ;  he  suf- 
fered for  all ;  and  rose  again  for  all :  and  therefore  he  suf- 
fered, that  he  might  take  away  the  sin  of  the  world.  But  if 
any  one  believe  not  in  Christ,  he  robs  himself  of  this  gene- 
ral benefit,  even  as  if  one  by  closing  the  windows  should 
hold  out  the  sun-beams.  The  sun  is  not  therefore  not 
arisen  to  all,  because  such  a  one  hath  so  robbed  himself 
of  its  heat :  but  the  sun  keeps  its  prerogative ;  it  is  such  a 
one's  imprudence  that  he  shuts  himself  out  from  the  com- 
mon benefit  of  the  light." 

The  same,  in  his  11th  book  of  Cain  and  Abel,  cap.  13, 
saith  :  "  Therefore  he  brought  unto  all  the  means  of  health, 
that  whosoever  should  perish,  may  ascribe  to  himself  the 
causes  of  his  death,  who  would  not  be  cured  when  he  had 
the  remedy  by  which  he  might  have  escaped." 


OF  UNIVERSAL  AND   SAVING  LIGHT. 


12'' 


§  IX.  Seeing  then  that  this  doctrine  of  the  universality 
of  Christ's  death  is  so  certain  and  agreeable  to  the  scrip- 
ture testimony,  and  to  the  sense  of  the  purest  antiquity,  it 
may  be  wondered  how  so  many,  some  whereof  have  been 
esteemed  not  only  learned,  but  also  pious,  have  been  ca- 
pable to  fall  into  so  gross  and  strange  an  error.  But  the 
cause  of  this  doth  evidently  appear,  in  that  the  way  and 
ine.hod  by  which  the  virtue  and  efficacy  of  his  death  is 
communicated  to  all  men,  hath  not  been  rightly  under- 
stood, or  indeed  hath  been  erroneously  taught.  The  Pe-  Pelagian 
lagians,  ascribing  all  to  man's  will  and  nature,  denied  man 
to  have  any  seed  of  sin  conveyed  to  him  from  Adam.  And 
the  Semi-Pelagians,  making  grace  as  a  gift  following  upon 
man's  merit,  or  right  improving  of  his  nature,  according  to 
their  known  principle,  Facienti  quod  in  se  est,  Deus  non  de- 
negat  gratiam. 

This  gave  Augustine,  Prosper,  and  some  others  occa-  Extremes 

sion,  labouring,  in  opposition  to  these  opinions,  to  magnify  gome',° 

the  gfrace  of  God,  and  paint  out  the  corruption  of  man's  making 

,  ,  1.  •,  Godtheau 

nature,  as  the  proverb  is  ot  those  that  seek  to  make  straight  thor  ^fsin 

a  crooked  stick,  to  incline  to  the  other  extreme.  So  also 
the  reformers,  Luther  and  others,  finding  among  other 
errors  the  strange  expressions  used  by  some  of  the  Popish 
scholastics  concerning  free  will,  and  how  much  the  ten- 
dency of  their  principles  is  to  exalt  man's  nature  and  lessen 
God's  grace,  having  all  those  sayings  of  Augustine  and 
others  for  a  pattern,  through  the  like  mistake  ran  upon  the 
same  extreme :  though  afterwards  the  Lutherans,  seeing 
how  far  Calvin  and  his  followers  drove  this  matter,  who, 
as  a  man  of  subtle  and  profound  judgment,  foreseeing 
where  it  would  land,  resolved  above  board  to  assert  that 
God  had  decreed  the  means  as  well  as  the  end,  and  there- 
fore had  ordained  men  to  sin,  and  excites  them  thereto, 
which  he  labours  earnestly  to  defend,  and  that  there  was 
no  avoiding  the  making  of  God  the  author  of  sin,  thereby 
received  occasion  to  discern  the  falsity  of  this  doctrine, 
and  disclaimed  it,  as  ajipears  by  the  later  writings  of  Me- 
lancthon,  ind  (he  Mnmpelgartensian  conference,  where 


128 


PROPOSITIONS  V.   AND  VI. 


Kpit.  Hist.  Lucas  Osiander,  one  of  the  collocutors,  terms  it  impious, 
Oaiand.  caWs  it  a  making  God  the  author  of  sin,  and  an  horrid  and 
^<"c«p^32  '^"'"^'^^'^  blasphemy.  Yet  because  none  of  those  who  have 
asserted  this  universal  redemption  since  the  reformation 
have  given  a  clear,  distinct,  and  satisfactory  testimony  how 
it  is  communicated  to  all,  and  so  have  fallen  short  of  fully 
declaring  the  perfection  of  the  gospel  dispensation,  otheis 
have  been  thereby  the  more  strengthened  in  their  errors ; 
which  I  shall  illustrate  by  one  singular  example. 

The  Arminians,  and  other  assertors  of  universal  grace, 
use  this  as  a  chief  argument: 

That  which  every  man  is  bound  to  believe,  is  true : 

But  every  man  is  bound  to  believe  that  Christ  died  foi 
him : 

Therefore,  &c. 

Of  this  argument  the  other  party  deny  the  assumption, 

saying :  That  they  who  never  heard  of  Christ,  are  not 

Remon-     obliged  to  believe  in  him ;  and  seeing  the  Remonstrants 

■trams'  {[j^y  g^e  commonly  called)  do  generally  themselves  ac- 

opinion       V  •'  J  /        o  J 

Btrenethens  knowledge,  that  without  the  outward  knowledge  of  Christ 

decreeToIr*  there  is  no  salvation,  that  gives  the  other  party  yet  a  stronger 
tfon*^"'  argument  for  their  precise  decree  of  reprobation.  For,  say 
they,  seeing  we  all  see  really,  and  in  effect,  that  God  hath 
withheld  from  many  generations,  and  yet  from  many  na- 
tions, that  knowledge  which  is  absolutely  needful  to  salva- 
tion, and  so  hath  rendered  it  simply  impossible  unto  them  ; 
why  may  he  not  as  well  withhold  the  grace  necessary  to 
make  a  saving  application  of  that  knowledge,  where  it  is 
preached  ?  For  there  is  no  ground  to  say,  That  this  weie 
injustice  in  God,  or  partiality,  more  than  his  leaving  those 
others  in  utter  ignorance  ;  the  one  being  but  a  withholding 
grace  to  apprehend  the  object  of  faith,  the  other  a  with- 
drawing the  object  itself.  For  answer  to  this,  they  are 
forced  to  draw  a  conclusion  from  their  former  hypothesis 
of  Christ's  dying  for  all,  and  God's  mercy  and  justice, 
saying,  That  if  these  heathen,  who  live  in  these,  remote 
places,  where  the  outward  knowledge  of  Christ  is  not,  did 
improve  that  common  knowledge  they  have,  to  whom  the 


OF  UNIVERSAL   AND   SAVING  LIGHT. 


129 


liutward  creation  is  for  an  object  of  faith,  by  which  the) 
may  gather  that  there  is  a  God,  then  the  Lord  would,  by 
some  providence,  either  send  an  angel  to  tell  them  of 
Christ,  or  convey  the  scriptures  to  them,  or  bring  them 
some  way  to  an  opportunity  to  meet  with  such  as  might 
inform  them.  Which,  as  it  gives  always  too  much  to  the 
J- )wer  and  strength  of  man's  will  and  nature,  and  savours 
2  Mttle  of  Socinianism  and  Pelagianism,  or  at  leasv  of  Semi- 
Pelagianism,  so,  since  it  is  only  built  upon  probable  con- 
jectures, neither  hath  it  evidence  enough  to  convince  any 
strongly  tainted  with  the  other  doctrine ;  nor  yet  doth  it 
make  the  equity  and  wonderful  harmony  of  God's  mercy 
and  justice  towards  all  so  manifest  to  the  understanding. 
So  that  I  have  often  observed,  that  these  assertors  of  uni- 
versal grace  did  far  more  pithily  and  strongly  overturn  the 
false  doctrine  of  their  adversaries,  than  they  did  establish 
and  confirm  the  truth  and  certainty  of  their  own.  And 
though  they  have  proof  sufficient  from  the  holy  scriptures 
to  confirm  the  universality  of  Christ's  death,  and  that  none  Nono,  by 
are  precisely,  by  any  irrevocable  decree,  excluded  from  b'le'decree 
salvation,  yet  I  find  when  they  are  pressed  in  the  respects 
above  mentioned,  to  show  how  God  hath  so  far  equally  tion. 
extended  the  capacity  to  partake  of  the  benefit  of  Christ's 
death  unto  all,  as  to  communicate  unto  them  a  sufficient 
way  of  so  doing,  they  are  somewhat  in  a  strait,  and  are  put 
more  to  give  us  their  conjectures  from  the  certainty  of  the 
former  presupposed  truth;  to  wit,  that  because  Christ  hath 
certainly  died  for  all,  and  God  hath  not  rendered  salvation 
impossible  to  any,  therefore  there  must  be  some  way  or 
other  by  which  they  may  be  saved  ;  which  must  be  by  im- 
proving some  common  grace,  or  by  gathering  from  the 
works  of  creation  and  providence;  than  by  really  demon- 
strating, by  convincing  and  spiritual  arguments,  what  that 
way  is. 

§  X.  It  falls  out  then,  that  as  darkness,  and  the  great 
apostasy,  came  not  upon  the  Christian  world  all  at  once, 
but  by  several  degrees,  one  thing  making  way  for  another; 
until  that  lliick  and  gross  vail  came  to  be  overspread,  where- 

R 


130 


PROPOSITIONS  V.   AND  VI, 


With  the  nations  were  so  blindly  covered,  from  the  se^enth 
and  eighth,  until  the  sixteenth  century;  even  as  the  dark- 
ness of  the  night  comes  not  upon  the  outward  creation  at 
once,  but  by  degrees,  according  as  the  sun  declines  in 
each  horizon  ;  so  neither  did  that  full  and  clear  light  and 
knowledge  of  the  glorious  dispensation  of  the  gospel  of 
Christ  appear  all  at  once  ;  the  work  of  the  first  witnesses 
being  more  to  testify  against  and  discover  the  abuses  of 
the  apostasy,  than  to  establish  the  truth  in  purity.  He  thai 
comes  to  build  a  new  city,  must  first  remove  the  old  rub- 
bish, before  he  can  see  to  lay  a  new  foundation;  and  he 
that  comes  to  an  house  greatly  polluted  and  full  of  dirt, 
will  first  sweep  away  and  remove  the  filth,  before  he  put  up 
his  own  good  and  new  furniture.  The  dawning  of  the  day 
dispels  the  darkness,  and  makes  us  see  the  things  that  are 
most  conspicuous :  but  the  distinct  discovering  and  dis- 
cerning of  things,  so  as  to  make  a  certain  and  perfect  ob- 
servation, is  reserved  for  the  arising  of  the  sun,  and  its 
shining  in  full  brightness.  And  we  can,  from  a  certain 
experience,  boldly  affirm,  that  the  not  waiting  for  this,  but 
building  among,  yea,  and  with,  the  old  Popish  rubbish,  and 
setting  up  before  a  full  purgation,  hath  been  to  most  Pro- 
testants the  foundation  of  many  a  mistake,  and  an  occasion 
The  more  of  unspeakable  hurt.  Therefore  the  Lord  God,  who  as  he 
Tery^oFthi!  ^eeth  meet  doth  communicate  and  make  known  to  man  the 
gospej  re-  more  full,  evident,  and  perfect  knowledge  of  his  everlasting 
this  our  truth,  hath  been  pleased  to  reserve  the  more  full  discovery 
of  this  glorious  and  evangelical  dispensation  to  this  our 
age ;  albeit  divers  testimonies  have  thereunto  been  borne 
by  some  noted  men  in  several  ages,  as  shall  hereafter  ap- 
pear. And  for  the  greater  augmentation  of  the  glory  of 
his  grace,  that  no  man  might  have  whereof  to  boast,  he 
hath  raised  up  a  few  despicable  and  illiterate  men,  and  for 
the  most  part  mechanics,  to  be  the  dispensers  of  it ;  by 
which  gospel  all  the  scruples,  doubts,  hesitations  and  ob- 
jections above  mentioned  are  easily  and  evidently  answered, 
and  the  justice  as  well  as  mercy  of  God,  according  to  their 
divine  and  heavenly  harmony,  are  exhibited,  established, 


OF  UNIVF.RSAI,   AND   SAVING  LIGHT. 


131 


and  confirmed.  According  to  which  certain  lighl  and 
gospel,  as  the  knowledge  thereof  has  been  manifested  to  us 
by  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ  in  us,  fortified  by  our  own 
sensible  experience,  and  sealed  by  the  testimony  of  the 
Spirit  in  our  hearts,  we  can  confidently  affirm,  and  clearly 
evince,  according  to  the  testimony  of  the  holy  scriptures, 
the  following  points : 

§  XI.  First,  That  God,  who  out  of  his  infinite  love  sent  Prop.  I 
his  Son,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  into  the  world,  who  tasted 
death  for  every  man,  hath  given  to  every  man,  whether  A  day  of 
Jew  or  Gentile,  Turk  or  Scythian,  Indian  or  Barbarian,  of  ^|^"*"""'' 
whatsoever  nation,  country,  or  place,  a  certain  day  or  time 
of  visitation  ;  during  which  day  or  time  it  is  possible  for 
them  to  be  saved,  and  to  partake  of  the  fruit  of  Christ's 
death. 

Secondly,  That  for  this  end  God  hath  communicated  Prop.  II. 

and  given  unto  every  man  a  measure  of  the  light  of  his  A  measure 
%  e  f  ,1    «  ■      of  light  in 

own  Son,  a  measure  of  grace,  or  a  measure  of  the  Spirit,  all. 

which  the  scripture  expresses  by  several  names,  as  some- 
times of  the  seed  of  the  kingdom.  Mat.  xiii.  18,  19 ;  the 
Light  that  makes  all  things  manifest,  Eph.  v.  13;  the 
Word  of  God,  Rom.  x.  17;  or  manifestation  of  the  Spirit 
given  to  profit  withal,  I  Cor.  xii.  7  ;  a  talent.  Mat.  xxv. 
15  ;  a  little  leaven,  Mat.  xiii.  33  ;  the  gospel  preached  in 
every  creature.  Col.  i.  23. 

Thirdly,  That  God,  in  and  by  this  Light  and  Seed,  in-  Prop.  Ill 
vites,  calls,  exhorts,  and  strives  with  every  man,  in  order 
to  save  him  ;  which,  as  it  is  received  and  not  resisted,  God's  sai- 
works  the  salvation  of  all,  even  of  those  who  are  ignorant  wrought  li 
of  the  death  and  sufTerings  of  Christ,  and  of  Adam's  fall,  ^ho' ''ght  ii- 
both  by  bringing  them  to  a  sense  of  their  own  misery,  and 
'•\>  be  sharers  in  the  suflerings  of  Christ  inwardly,  and  by 
making  them  partakers  of  his  resurrection,  in  becoming 
holy,  pure,  and  righteous,  and  recovered  out  of  their  sins. 
By  which  also  are  saved  they  that  have  the  knowledge  of 
Christ  outwardly,  in  that  it  opens  their  understanding 
rightly  to  use  and  apply  the  things  delivered  in  the  scrip- 
tures, and  to  receive  the  savirg  i-se  of  them  :  but  that  this 


132 


PROPOSITIONS  V.  AND  VI. 


may  be  resisted  and  rejected  in  both,  in  which  then  God 
is  said  to  be  resisted  and  pressed  down,  and  Christ  to  be 
again  crucified,  and  put  to  open  shame  in  and  among  men. 
And  to  those  who  thus  resist  and  refuse  him,  he  becomes 
their  condemnation. 
Coneeq  I  First,  then,  According  to  this  doctrine  the  mercy  of  God 
is  ex'cellently  well  exhibited,  in  that  none  are  necessarily; 
shut  out  from  salvation  ;  and  his  justice  is  demonstrated, 
in  that  he  condemns  none  but  such  to  whom  he  really  made 
ofl'er  of  salvation,  affording  them  the  means  sufficient  there- 
unto. 

Conseq.  2.  Secondly,  This  doctrine,  if  well  weighed,  will  be  found 
to  be  the  foundation  of  Christianity,  salvation,  and  assur- 
ance. 

Coneeq.  3.  Thirdly,  It  agrees  and  answers  with  the  whole  tenor  of 
the  gospel  promises  and  threats,  and  with  the  nature  of  the 
ministry  of  Christ ;  according  to  which,  the  gospel,  salva- 
tion, and  repentance  are  commanded  to  be  preached  to 
every  creature,  without  respect  of  nations,  kindred,  fami- 
lies, or  tongues. 

Conseq.  4.  Fourthly,  It  magnifies  and  commends  the  merits  and 
death  of  Christ,  in  that  it  not  only  accounts  them  sufficient 
to  save  all,  but  declares  them  to  be  brought  so  nigh  unto 
all,  as  thereby  to  be  put  into  the  nearest  capacity  of  sal- 
vation. 

Conseq.  5.  Fifthly,  It  exalts  above  all  the  grace  of  God,  to  which  it 
attributeth  all  good,  even  the  least  and  smallest  actions  that 
are  so ;  ascribing  thereunto  not  only  the  first  beginnings 
and  motions  of  good,  but  also  the  whole  conversion  and 
salvation  of  the  soul. 

Conseq.  6.  Sixthly,  It  contradicts,  overturns,  and  enervates,  the 
false  doctrine  of  the  Pelagians,  Semi-Pelagians,  Socinians, 
and  others,  who  exalt  the  light  of  nature,  the  liberty  of 
man's  will,  in  that  it  wholly  excludes  the  natural  man  from 
having  any  place  or  portion  in  his  own  salvation,  by  any 
acting,  moving,  or  working  of  his  own,  until  he  be  first 
quickened,  raised  up,  and  actuated  by  God's  Spirit. 

Joiweq  7.      Seventhly,  As  it  makes  the  whole  salvation  of  man  soleJj 


OF  UNIVERSAL  AND  SAVING  LIGHT. 


133 


and  alone  to  depend  upon  God,  so  it  makes  his  condemna- 
tion wholly  and  in  every  respect  to  be  of  himself,  in  that 
he  refused  and  resisted  somewhat  that  from  God  wrestled 
and  strove  in  his  heart,  and  forces  him  to  acknowledge 
God's  just  judgment  in  rejecting  and  forsaking  of  him. 

Eighthly,  It  takes  away  all  ground  of  despair,  in  that  it  Conaeq 
gives  every  one  cause  of  hope  and  certain  assurance  that 
they  may  be  saved  ;  neither  doth  feed  any  in  security,  in 
that  none  are  certain  how  soon  their  day  may  expire :  and 
therefore  it  is  a  constant  incitement  and  provocation,  and 
lively  encouragement  to  every  man,  to  forsake  evil,  and 
close  with  that  which  is  good. 

Ninthly,  It  wonderfully  commends  as  well  the  certainty  Conseq.  9 
of  the  Christian  religion  among  infidels,  as  it  manifests  its 
own  verity  to  all,  in  that  it  is  confirmed  and  established  by 
the  experience  of  all  men  ;  seeing  there  was  never  yet  a 
man  found  in  any  place  of  the  earth,  however  barbarous 
and  wild,  but  hath  acknowledged,  that  at  some  time  or 
other,  less  or  more,  he  hath  found  somewhat  in  his  heart 
reproving  him  for  some  things  evil  which  he  hath  done, 
threatening  a  certain  horror  if  he  continued  in  them,  as 
also  promising  and  communicating  a  certain  peace  and 
sweetness,  as  he  has  given  way  to  it,  and  not  resisted  it. 

Tenthly,  It  wonderfully  showeth  the  excellent  wisdom  Conseq.  10 
of  God,  by  which  he  hath  made  the  means  of  salvation  so 
universal  and  comprehensive,  that  it  is  not  needful  to  recur 
to  those  miraculous  and  strange  ways ;  seeing,  according 
to  this  most  true  doctrine,  the  gospel  reacheth  all,  of  what- 
soever condition,  age,  or  nation. 

Eleventhly,  It  is  really  and  effectively,  though  not  in  so  Conseq  ii 
many  words,  yet  by  deeds,  established  and  confirmed  by 
all  the  preachers,  promulgators,  and  doctors  of  the  Christian 
religion  that  ever  were,  or  now  are,  even  by  those  that 
otherways  in  their  judgment  oppose  this  doctrine,  in  that 
they  all,  wherever  they  have  been  or  are,  or  whatsoever 
people,  place,  or  country  they  come  to,  do  preach  to  the 
people,  and  to  every  individual  among  them,  that  they  may 
be  saved  ;  entreating  and  desiring  them  to  believe  in  Christ, 
12 


134 


PROPOSITIONS  V.  AND  VI. 


who  hath  died  for  them.  So  that  what  they  deny  in  tht 
general,  they  acknowledge  of  every  particular  ;  there  being 
no  man  to  whom  they  do  not  preach  in  order  to  salvation, 
telling  him  Jesus  Christ  calls  and  wills  him  to  believe  and 
be  saved  ;  and  that  if  he  refuse,  he  shall  therefore  be  con- 
demned, and  that  his  condemnation  is  of  himself.  Such 
is  the  evidence  and  virtue  of  Truth,  that  it  constrains  lis 
adversaries  even  against  their  wills  to  plead  for  it. 
Conaeq.  12.  Lastly,  According  to  this  doctrine,  the  former  argument 
used  by  the  Arminians,  and  evited  by  the  Calvinists,  con- 
cerning every  man's  being  bound  to  believe  that  Christ 
died  for  him,  is,  by  altering  the  assumption,  rendered  in- 
vincible ;  thus. 

That  which  every  man  is  bound  to  believe,  is  true : 
But  every  man  is  bound  to  believe  that  God  is  merciful 
unto  him : 

Therefore,  &c.  ^ 
This  assumption  no  man  can  deny,  seeing  his  mercies 
are  said  to  be  over  all  his  works.  And  herein  the  scripture 
every  where  declares  the  mercy  of  God  to  be,  in  that  he  in- 
vites and  calls  sinners  to  repentance,  and  hath  opened  a 
way  of  salvation  for  them :  so  that  though  those  men  be 
not  bound  to  believe  the  history  of  Christ's  death  and  pas- 
sion who  never  came  to  know  of  it,  yet  they  are  bound  to 
believe  that  God  will  be  merciful  to  them,  if  they  follow 
his  ways ;  and  that  he  is  merciful  unto  them,  in  that  he 
reproves  them  for  evil,  and  encourages  them  to  good. 
Our  adver-  Neither  ought  any  man  to  believe  that  God  is  unmerciful 
mercifu"as-     him,  or  that  he  hath  from  the  beginning  ordained  hiin 
sertion  »f       (.Qme  into  the  world  that  he  might  be  left  to  his  own  evil 

(lod.  ...  . 

inclinations,  and  so  do  wickedly  as  a  means  appointed  bj 
God  to  bring  him  to  eternal  damnation  ;  which,  were  it 
true,  as  our  adversaries  affirm  it  to  be  of  many  thousands, 
I  see  no  reason  why  a  man  might  not  believe  ;  for  certainly 
a  man  may  believe  the  truth. 

As  it  manifestly  appears  from  the  thing  itself,  that  these 
good  and  excellent  consequences  follow  from  the  belief  of 
this  doctrine,  so  from  the  proof  of  them  it  will  yet  mor« 


OF  UNIVERSAL  AND  SAVING  LIGHT. 


138 


evidently  appear ;  to  which  before  I  come,  it  is  requisite  to 
speak  somewhat  concerning  the  state  of  the  controversy, 
which  will  bring  great  light  to  the  matter :  for  from  the  not 
right  understanding  -of  a  matter  under  debate,  sometimes 
both  arguments  on  the  one  hand,  and  objections  on  the 
other,  are  brought,  which  do  no  way  hit  the  case  ;  and 
tiereby  also  our  sense  and  judgment  therein  will  be  more 
fully  understood  and  opened. 

§  XII.  First,  then,  By  this  day  and  time  of  visitation,  Ques.  l. 
which  we  say  God  gives  unto  all,  during  which  they  may  oAhe*"""* 
be  saved,  we  do  not  understand  the  whole  time  of  every  question, 
man's  life ;  though  to  some  it  may  be  extended  even  to 
the  very  hour  of  death,  as  we  see  in  the  example  of  the 
thief  converted  upon  the  cross ;  but  such  a  season  at  least 
as  sufficiently  exonerateth  God  of  every  man's  condemna- 
tion, which  to  some  may  be  sooner,  and  to  others  later,  ac- 
cording as  the  Lord  in  his  wisdom  sees  meet.    So  that  That  many 
many  men  may  outlive  this  day,  after  which  there  may  be  Jhe'^day'of* 
no  possibility  of  salvation  to  them,  and  God  justly  suffers  God's  T«i- 
them  to  be  hardened,  as  a  just  punishment  of  their  unbe- 
lief, and  even  raises  them  up  as  instruments  of  wrath,  and 
makes  them  a  scourge  one  against  another.    Whence  to 
men  in  this  condition  may  be  fitly  applied  those  scriptures 
which  are  abused  to  prove  that  God  incites  men  necessarily 
to  sin.    This  is  notably  expressed  by  the  apostle,  Rom.  i, 
from  verse  17  to  the  end,  but  especially  verse  28,  "And 
even  as  they  did  not  like  to  retain  God  in  their  knowledge, 
God  gave  them  over  to  a  reprobate  mind,  to  do  those  things 
which  are  not  convenient."    That  miiny  may  outlive  this 
day  of  God's  grac  ious  visitation  unto  them,  is  shown  by 
;he  example  of  Esau,  Heb.  xii.  16,  17,  who  sold  his 
oirthiight ;  so  he  had  it  once,  and  was  capable  to  have 
kept  it;  but  afterwards,  when  he  would  have  inherited  the 
blessing,  he  was  rejected.    This  appears  also  by  Christ's 
weeping  over  Jerusalem,  Luke  xix.  42,  saying,  "  If  thou 
had.st  known  in  this  thy  day  the  things  that  belong  unto  thy 
peace  ;  but  now  they  are  hid  from  thine  eyes."  Which 
[)lainly  imports  a  time  when  they  might  have  known  them, 


136 


PROPOSITIONS  V.   AND  VI. 


which  now  was  removed  from  them,  though  they  were  ye\ 
alive  :  but  of  this  more  shall  be  said  hereafter. 
Uucs.  2.  §  Xlfl.  Secondly,  By  this  seed,  grace,  and  word  of 
God,  and  light  wherewith  we  say  every  one  is  enlightened, 
and  hath  a  measure  of  it,  which  strives  with  him  in  orrler 
to  save  him,  and  which  may,  by  the  stubbornness  and 
wickedness  of  man's  will,  be  quenched,  bruised,  wounded, 
pressed  down,  slain  and  crucified,  we  understand  not  the 
proper  essence  and  nature  of  God  precisely  taken,  which 
is  not  divisible  into  parts  and  measures,  as  being  a  most 
pure,  simple  being,  void  of  all  composition  or  division,  and 
therefore  can  neither  De  resisted,  hurt,  wounded,  crucified, 
Thelignt,  or  slain  by  all  the  efforts  and  strength  of  men;  but  we 
Bnd"its  pro-  Understand  a  spiritual,  heavenly,  and  invisible  principle,  in 
pe'J'^csde-  which  God,  as  Father,  Son  and  Spirit,  dwells;  a  measu'-e 
of  which  divine  and  glorious  life  is  in  all  men  as  a  seed, 
which  of  its  own  nature,  draws.  Invites,  and  inclines  to 
God ;  and  this  some  call  vehiculum  Dei,  or  the  spiritual 
body  of  Christ,  the  flesh  and  blood  of  Christ,  which  came 
down  from  heaven,  of  which  all  the  saints  do  feed,  and  are 
thereby  nourished  unto  eternal  life.  And  as  every  un- 
righteous action  is  witnessed  against  and  reproved  by  this 
light  and  seed,  so  by  such  actions  it  is  hurt,  wounded,  and 
slain,  and  flees  from  them  even  as  the  flesh  of  man  flees 
from  that  which  is  of  a  contrary  nature  to  it.  Now  because 
it  is  never  separated  from  God  nor  Christ,  but  wherever  it 
1  Tim.  is,  God  and  Christ  are  as  wrapped  up  therein,  therefore 
and  in  that  respect  as  it  is  resisted,  God  is  said  to  be  re- 
sisted ;  and  where  it  is  borne  down,  God  is  said  to  be 
pressed  as  a  cart  under  sheaves,  and  Christ  is  said  to  be 
slain  and  crucified.  And  on  the  contrary,  as  this  seed  is 
received  in  the  heart,  and  suffered  to  bring  forth  its  natural 
and  proper  eflfect,  Christ  comes  to  be  formed  and  raised, 
of  which  the  scripture  makes  so  much  mention,  calling  it 
the  new  man  ;  Christ  within,  the  hope  of  glory.  This 
is  that  Christ  within,  which  we  are  heard  so  much  to  speak 
and  declare  of;  every  where  preaching  him  up,  and  ex- 
horting people  to  believe  in  the  light,  and  obey  it,  thai 


IC 


OF  UNIVERSAL  AND  SAVIN(;  LIGHT. 


137 


tliey  mwy  come  to  know  Christ  in  them,  to  deliver  them 
from  all  sin. 

But  hy  this,  as  we  do  not  at  all  intend  to  equal  ourselves 

to  that  holy  man  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  was  born  of 

■Jie  virgin  Mary,  in  whom  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead 

dwelt  bodily,  so  neither  do  we  destroy  the  reality  of  his  That  ilie 

present  existence,  as  some  have  falsely  calumniated  us.  ["le'f^od"' 

For  though  we  affirm  that  Christ  dwells  in  us,  yet  not  im-  hcaddwelU 

o  ill  Glirist 

mediately,  but  mediately,  as  he  is  in  that  seed,  which  is  in  bodily,  &c 

us  ;  whereas  he,  to  wit,  the  Eternal  Word,  which  was  with 
God,  and  was  God,  dwelt  immediately  in  that  holy  man. 
He  then  is  as  the  head,  and  we  as  the  members ;  he  the 
vine,  and  we  the  branches.  Now  as  the  soul  of  man  dwells 
otherwise  and  in  a  far  more  immediate  manner  in  the  head 
and  in  the  heart,  than  in  the  hands  or  legs  ;  and  as  the  sap, 
virtue,  and  life  of  the  vine  lodgeth  far  otherwise  in  the 
stock  and  root  than  in  the  branches,  so  God  dwelleth 
otherwise  in  the  man  Jesus  than  in  us.  We  also  freely 
reject  the  heresy  of  Apollinarius,  who  denied  him  to  have 
any  soul,  but  said  the  body  was  only  actuated  by  the  God- 
head. As  also  the  error  of  Eutyches,  who  made  the  man- 
hood to  be  wholly  swallowed  up  of  the  Godhead.  Where- 
fore, as  we  believe  he  was  a  true  and  real  man,  so  we  also 
believe  that  he  continues  so  to  be  glorified  in  the  heavens 
m  soul  and  body,  by  whom  God  shall  judge  (he  world,  in 
the  great  and  general  day  of  judgment. 

§  XIV.  Thirdly,  We  understand  not  this  seed,  light,  or  Ques.  3. 
grace  to  be  an  accident,  as  most  men  ignoranlly  do,  but  a  jlg^hVis^'a 
real  spiritual  substance,  which  the  soul  of  man  is  capable  spiritual 

,  .  .      '  siibsiaiice, 

to  feel  and  apprehend;  from  which  that  real,  spiritual,  in-  whiclim.j 
ward  birth  in  believers  arises  called  the  new  creature,  the  ^^Jso,  "^ni 
new  man  in  the  heart.    This  seems  strange  to  carnal-  app'diend- 
minded  men,  because  they  are  not  acquainted  with  it ;  but 
we  know  it,  and  are  sensible  of  it,  by  a  true  and  certain 
experience.    Though  it  be  hard  for  man  in  his  natural 
wisdom  to  comprehend  it,  until  he  come  to  feel  it  in  him- 
self; and  if  he  sliould,  holding  it  in  the  mere  notion,  it 
would  avail  him  little  ;  yet  we  are  able  to  make  it  appear 
12  •  8 


138 


PROPOSITIONS  V.   AND  VI. 


lo  be  true,  and  that  our  faith  concerning  it  is  not  withou 
a  solic  ground  :  for  it  is  in  and  by  this  inward  and  sub- 
stantial seed  in  our  hearts  as  it  comes  to  receive  nourish 
inent,  and  to  have  a  birth  or  geniture  in  us,  that  we  coine 
to  have  those  spiritual  senses  r  ised  by  which  we  are  mad^ 
capable  of  tasting,  smelling,  seeing,  and  handling  the 
things  of  God :  for  a  man  cannot  reach  unto  those  things 
by  his  natural  spirit  and  senses,  as  is  above  declared. 

Next,  We  know  it  to  be  a  substance,  because  it  subsists 
:n  the  hearts  of  wicked  men,  even  while  they  are  in  then 
wickedness,  as  shall  be  hereafter  proved  more  at  large. 
Now  no  accident  can  be  in  a  subject  without  it  give  the 
subject  its  own  denomination  ;  as  where  whiteness  is  in  a 
Thede-     subject,  there  the  subject  is  called  white.     So  we  dis- 
operai?onTn  t'"guish  betwixt  holiness,  as  it  is  an  accident,  which  deno- 
ihe  soul  of  luinates  man  so,  as  the  seed  receives  a  place  in  him,  and 

aim.  .         .  .  .... 

betwixt  this  holy  substantial  seed,  which  many  times  lies  in 
man's  heart  as  a  naked  grain  in  the  stony  ground.  So  also 
as  we  may  distinguish  betwixt  health  and  medicine ;  health 
cannot  be  in  a  body  without  the  body  be  called  healthful, 
because  health  is  an  accident ;  but  medicine  may  be  in  a 
body  that  is  most  unhealthful,  for  that  it  is  a  substance. 
And  as  when  a  medicine  begins  to  work,  the  body  may  in 
some  respect  be  called  healthful,  and  in  some  respect  un- 
healthful, so  we  acknowledge  as  this  divine  medicine 
receives  place  in  man's  heart,  it  may  denominate  him  in 
some  part  holy  and  good,  though  there  remain  yet  a  cor- 
rupted unmortified  part,  or  some  part  of  the  evil  humours 
unpurged  out ;  for  where  two  contrary  accidents  are  in  one 
subject,  as  health  and  sickness  in  a  body,  the  subject  re- 
ceives its  denomination  from  the  accident  which  prevails 
most.  So  many  men  are  called  saints,  good  and  holy  m(  :i, 
and  that  truly,  when  this  holy  seed  hath  wrought  in  the:ii 
in  a  good  measure,  and  hath  somewhat  leavened  them  in'o 
its  nature,  though  they  may  be  yet  liable  to  many  infirmities 
and  weaknesses,  yea  and  to  some  iniquities:  for  as  the 
seed  of  sin  and  ground  of  corruption,  yea  and  the  capacity 
of  yielding  thereunto,  and  sometimes  actually  falling,  doth 


OF  UNIVERSAL  AND  SAVING  LIGHT. 


139 


not  denominate  a  good  and  holy  man  impious  ;  so  neither 
doth  the  seed  of  righteousness  in  evil  men,  and  the  possi- 
bility of  their  becoming  one  with  it,  denominate  them  good 
or  holy. 

§  XV.  Fourthly,  We  do  not  hereby  intend  any  ways  to  Qubs.  4, 
lessen  or  derogate  from  the  atonement  and  sacrifice  of  Jesus 
Christ ;  but  on  the  contrary  do  magnify  and  exalt  it.  For 
as  we  believe  all  those  things  to  have  been  certainly  trans- 
acted which  are  recorded  in  the  holy  scriptures  concerning 
the  birth,  life,  miracles,  sufferings,  resurrection  and  ascen- 
sion of  Christ ;  so  we  do  also  believe  that  it  is  the  duty  of 
every  one  to  believe  it  to  whom  it  pleases  God  to  reveal 
the  same,  and  to  bring  to  them  the  knowledge  of  it ;  yea 
we  believe  it  were  damnable  unbelief  not  to  believe  it, 
when  so  declared  ;  but  to  resist  that  holy  seed,  which  as 
minded  would  lead  and  incline  every  one  to  believe  it  as 
it  is  oflered  unto  them,  though  it  revealeth  not  in  every  one 
the  outward  and  explicit  knowledge  of  it,  nevertheless  it 
always  assenteth  to  it,  ubi  declaratur,  where  it  is  declared. 
Nevertheless  as  we  firmly  believe  it  was  necessary  that 
Christ  should  come,  that  by  his  death  and  sufferings  he 
might  offer  up  himself  a  sacrifice  to  God  for  our  sins,  who 
his  own  self  "  bare  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree 
so  we  believe  that  the  remission  of  sins  which  any  partake  That  re- 
of,  is  only  in  and  by  virtue  of  that  most  satisfactory  sacri-  ^nsT on*!) 
fice,  and  no  otherwise.  For  it  is  by  the  obedience  of  that 
one  that  the  free  gift  is  come  upon  all  to  justification.  For 
we  affirm,  that  as  all  men  partake  of  the  fruit  of  Adam's 
fall,  in  that  by  reason  of  that  evil  seed,  which  through  him 
is  communicated  unto  them,  they  are  prone  and  inclined 
unto  evil,  though  thousands  of  thousands  be  ignorant  of 
Adam's  fall,  neither  ever  knew  of  the  eating  of  the  forbidden 
fiuit ;  so  also  many  may  come  to  feel  the  influence  of  this 
holy  and  divine  seed  and  light,  and  be  turned  from  evil  to 
good  by  it,  though  they  knew  nothing  of  Christ's  coming 
in  the  flesh,  through  whose  obedience  and  sufferings  it  is 
purchased  unto  them.  And  as  we  affirm  it  is  absolutely 
needful  that  those  do  believe  tlie  history  of  Christ's  outward 


I4C  PROPOSITIONS  V.   AND  VI. 

appearance,  whom  it  pleased  God  to  bring  to  the  knowledg* 
of  it ;  so  we  do  freely  confess,  that  even  that  outward  know- 
ledge is  very  comfortable  to  such  as  are  subject  and  led 
by  the  inward  seed  and  light.  For  not  only  doth  the  sense 
of  Christ's  love  and  sutTerings  tend  to  humble  them,  but 
they  are  thereby  also  strengthened  in  their  faith,  and  en- 
couraged to  follow  that  excellent  pattern  which  he  hall 
left  us,  "  who  suffered  for  us,"  as  saith  the  apostle  Peter, 
1  Pet.  ii.  21,  "leaving  us  an  example  that  we  should  fol- 
low his  steps:"  and  many  times  we  are  greatly  edified  and 
refreshed  with  the  gracious  sayings  which  proceed  out  of 
The  history  his  mouth.    The  history  then  is  profitable  and  comfortable 

18  profitable     .  ,     ,  ,  .  ,         .      ,  , 

with  the  With  the  mystery,  and  never  without  it ;  but  the  mystery  is 
mystery.     ^^^^  profitable  without  the  explicit  and  outward 

knowledge  of  the  history. 
QuEs.  5.        But  Fifthly,  This  brings  us  to  another  question,  to  wit, 
How  Christ  Whether  Christ  be  in  all  men  or  no Which  sometimes 

IS  ir.  all 

men.  hath  been  asked  us,  and  arguments  brought  against  it ;  be- 
cause indeed  it  is  to  be  found  in  some  of  our  writings  that 
Christ  is  in  all  men  ;  and  we  often  are  heard,  in  our  public 
meetings  and  declarations,  to  desire  every  man  to  know  and 
be  acquainted  with  Christ  in  them,  telling  them  that  Christ 
is  in  them  ;  it  is  fit  therefore,  for  removing  of  all  mistakes, 
to  say  something  in  this  place  concerning  this  matter.  We 
have  said  before  how  that  a  divine,  spiritual,  and  superna- 
tural light  is  in  all  men  ;  how  that  that  divine  supernatural 
light  or  seed  is  vehiculum  Dei;  how  that  God  and  Christ 
dwelleth  in  it,  and  is  never  separated  from  it ;  also  how 
that,  as  it  is  received  and  closed  with  in  the  heart,  Christ 
comes  to  be  formed  and  brought  forth  :  but  we  are  far  from 
ever  having  said,  that  Christ  is  thus  formed  in  all  men,  .t 
in  the  wicked :  for  that  is  a  great  attainment,  which  (he 
apostle  travailed  that  it  might  be  brought  forth  in  the  Gala- 
tians.  Neither  is  Christ  in  all  men  by  way  of  union,  or 
indeed,  to  speak  strictly,  by  way  of  inhabitation  ;  because 
this  inhabitation,  as  it  is  generally  taken,  imports  union,  oi 
the  manner  of  Christ's  being  in  the  saints :  as  it  is  written 
♦<  1  will  dwell  in  them,  and  walk  in  them,"  2  Cor.  vi.  16 


OF  UNIVERSAL   AND   SAVING  LIGHT. 


14J 


But  in  regard  Christ  is  in  all  men  as  in  a  seed,  yea,  and 
that  he  never  is  nor  can  be  separate  froiio  that  holy  pure 
seed  and  light  which  is  in  all  men  ;  therefore  may  it  be  said 
in  a  larger  sense,  that  he  is  in  all,  even  as  we  observed 
before.  The  scripture  saith,  Amos  ii.  13,  God  is  pressed 
down  as  a  cart  under  sheaves ;  and  Heb.  vi.  6,  Christ 
is  crucified  in  the  ungodly  ;  though  to  speak  properly  and 
strictly,  neither  can  God  be  pressed  down,  nor  Christ,  as 
God,  be  crucified.  In  this  respect  then,  as  he  is  in  the 
seed  which  is  in  all  men,  we  have  said  Christ  is  in  all  men, 
and  have  preached  and  directed  all  men  to  Christ  in  them, 
who  lies  crucified  in  them  by  their  sins  and  iniquities,  that  Christ  cru- 
they  may  look  upon  him  whom  they  have  pierced,  and  re-  by  ini 
pent :  whereby  he  that  now  lies  as  it  were  slain  and  buried  <!"''•«•• 
in  them,  may  come  to  be  raised,  and  have  dominion  in 
their  hearts  over  all.  And  thus  also  the  apostle  Paul 
preached  to  the  Corinthians  and  Galatians,  Christ  cruci- 
fied in  them,  iv  vfi-Tv  as  the  Greek  hath  it,  1  Cor.  ii.  2  ; 
Gal.  iii.  1.  This  Jesus  Christ  was  that  which  the  apostle 
desired  to  know  in  them,  and  make  known  unto  them,  that 
they  might  come  to  be  sensible  how  they  had  thus  been 
crucifying  Christ,  that  so  they  might  repent  and  be  saved. 
And  forasmuch  as  Christ  is  called  that  light  that  en- 
lightens every  man,  the  light  of  the  world,  therefore  the 
light  is  taken  for  Christ,  who  truly  is  the  fountain  of  light, 
and  hath  his  habitation  in  it  for  ever.  Thus  the  light  of 
Christ  is  sometimes  called  Christ,  i.  e.  that  in  which  Christ 
is,  and  from  which  he  is  never  separated. 

§  XVI.  Sixthly,  It  will  manifestly  appear  by  what  iii 
above  said,  that  we  understand  not  this  divine  principle  to 
be  any  part  of  man's  nature,  nor  yet  to  be  any  relics  of  any 
good  which  Adarn  lost  by  his  fall,  in  that  we  make  it  a 
distinct  separate  thing  from  man's  soul,  and  all  the  facul- 
ties of  it :  yet  such  is  the  malice  of  our  adversaries,  that 
they  cease  not  sometimes  to  calumniate  us,  as  if  we  preach- 
ed up  a  natural  light,  or  the  light  of  man's  natural  con- 
science. Next,  there  are  that  lean  to  the  doctrine  of  Socinus 
'^d  Pelagius,  who  persuade  themselves  through  mistake, 


H2 


PROPOSITIONS  V.   AND  VI. 


and  out  of  no  ill  design  to  injure  us,  as  if  this  which  vrt 
preach  up  were  sonae  natural  power  and  faculty  of  the  soul, 
and  that  we  only  differ  in  the  wording  of  it,  and  not  in  the 
thing  itself;  whereas  there  can  be  no  greater  diffe. ence 
than  is  betwixt  us  in  that  matter :  for  we  certainly  know 
that  this  light  of  which  we  speak  is  not  only  distinct,  l  iil 
ol  a  different  nature  from  the  soul  of  man,  and  its  faculties, 
riiefacul-  Indeed  that  man,  as  he  is  a  rational  creature,  hath  reason 
jiiaii's  rea-       a  natural  faculty  of  his  soul,  by  which  he  can  discern 
things  that  are  rational,  we  deny  not ;  for  this  is  a  properly 
natural  and  essential  to  him,  by  which  he  can  know  and 
learn  many  arts  and  sciences,  beyond  what  any  other  ani- 
mal can  do  by  the  mere  animal  principle.    Neither  do  we 
deny  but  by  this  rational  principle  man  may  apprehend  in 
his  brain,  and  in  the  notion,  a  knowledge  of  God  and  spi- 
ritual things ;  yet  that  not  being  the  right  organ,  as  in  the 
second  proposition  hath  more  at  length  been  signified,  it 
cannot  profit  him  towards  salvation,  but  rather  hindereth  ; 
and  indeed  the  great  cause  of  the  apostasy  hath  been,  that 
man  hath  sought  to  fathom  the  things  of  God  in  and  by  this 
natural  and  rational  principle,  and  to  build  up  a  religion  in 
it,  neglecting  and  overlooking  tliis  principle  and  seed  of 
God  in  the  heart ;  so  that  herein,  in  the  most  universal  and 
Anti         catholic  sense,  hath  Anti-Christ  in  every  man  set  up  him- 
the^em'ple  self,  and  sitteth  in  the  temple  of  God  as  God,  and  above 
of  God.      every  thing  that  is  called  God.     For  men  being  the  tem- 
ple of  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  saith  the  apostle,  1  Cor.  iii.  16, 
when  the  rational  principle  sets  up  itself  there  above  the 
seed  of  God,  to  reign  and  rule  as  a  prince  in  spiritual 
I       things,  while  the  holy  seed  is  wounded  and  bruised,  there 
is  Anti-Christ  in  every  man,  or  somewhat  exalted  above 
and  against  Christ.    Nevertheless  we  do  not  hereby  affirm 
as  if  man  had  received  his  reason  to  no  purpose,  or  to  be 
of  no  service  unto  him,  in  no  wise  ;  we  look  upon  reason 
The  divine  as  fit  to  Order  and  rule  man  in  things  natural.  For  as  God 
liamral"fea-  a^^'^        g^^^^  lights  to  rule  the  outward  world,  the  sun 
'Tahed'"    ^^'^  moon,  the  greater  light  to  rule  the  day,  and  the  lesser 
light  to  rule  the  night ;  so  hath  he  given  man  the  light  of 


OF  UNIVERSAL  AND  SAVING  LIGHT. 


14.3 


bis  Son,  a  spiritual  divine  light,  to  rule  hini  in  things  spi- 
ritual, and  the  light  of  reason  to  rule  him  in  things  natural. 
And  even  as  the  moon  borrows  her  light  from  the  sun,  so 
ought  men,  if  they  would  be  rightly  and  comfortably  or- 
dered in  natural  things,  to  have  their  reason  enlightened 
by  this  divine  and  pure  light.  Which  enlightened  reason, 
in  those  that  obey  and  follow  this  true  light,  we  confess 
may  be  useful  to  man  even  in  spiritual  things,  as  it  is  still 
subservient  and  subject  to  the  other  ;  even  as  the  animal 
life  in  man,  regulated  and  ordered  by  his  reason,  helps 
him  in  going  about  things  that  are  rational.  We  do  fur-  The  light 
ther  rightly  distinguish  this  from  man's  natural  conscience  ;  fu^ghed 

for  conscience  beinn;  that  in  man  which  ariseth  from  the  man's 

natural 

natural  faculties  of  man's  soul,  may  be  defiled  and  cor-  conscience, 
rupted.  It  is  said  expressly  of  the  impure.  Tit.  i.  15, 
"  That  even  their  mind  and  conscience  is  defiled  ;"  but 
this  light  can  never  be  corrupted  nor  defiled  ;  neither  did 
it  ever  consent  to  evil  or  wickedness  in  any :  for  it  is  said 
expressly,  that  it  makes  all  things  manifest  that  are  re- 
provable,  Eph.  V.  13,  and  so  is  a  faithful  witness  for  God 
against  every  unrighteousness  in  man.  Now  conscience,  Consciem-D 
to  define  it  trulv,  comes  from  consciie,  and  is  that  know- 
ledge  which  ariseth  in  man's  heari  from  what  agreeth,  con- 
tradicteth,  or  is  contrary  to  any  thing  believed  by  him. 
whereby  he  becomes  conscious  to  himself  that  he  trans- 
gresseth  by  doing  that  which  he  is  persuaded  he  ought  not 
to  do.  So  that  the  mind  being  once  blinded  or  defiled 
with  a  wrong  belief,  there  ariseth  a  conscience  from  that 
belief,  which  troubles  him  when  he  goes  against  it.  As 
for  example:  A  Turk  who  hath  possessed  himself  with  aExamplao 
false  belief  that  it  is  unlawful  foi  him  to  drink  wine,  if  he  *  "^"^  ' 
do  it,  his  conscience  smites  him  for  it ;  but  though  he  keep 
many  concubines,  his  conscience  troubles  him  not,  because 
his  judgment  is  already  defiled  with  a  false  opinion  that  it 
is  lawful  for  him  to  do  the  one,  and  unlawful  to  do  the 
other.  Whereas  if  the  light  of  Christ  in  him  were  minded, 
it  would  reprove  him,  not  only  for  committing  fornication, 
but  also,  as  he  became  obedient  thereunto,  inform  hira  that 


144 


PROPOSITIONS  V.   AND  VI. 


Mahomet  was  an  impostor ;  as  well  as  Socrates  was  in- 
formed by  it,  in  his  day,  of  the  falsity  of  the  heathen's 
gods. 

Example  of  So  if  a  Papist  eat  flesh  in  Lent,  or  be  nof  diligent  enough 
*  in  adoration  of  saints  and  images,  or  if  he  should  contemn 

images,  his  conscience  would  smite  him  for  it,  because  his 
judgment  is  already  bl  jided  with  a  false  belief  concerning 
these  things :  whereas  the  light  of  Christ  never  consented 
to  any  of  those  abominations.  Thus  then  man's  natural 
conscience  is  sufficiently  distinguished  from  it ;  for  con- 
science followeth  the  judgment,  doth  not  inform  it;  but 
this  light,  as  it  is  received,  removes  the  blindness  of  the 
judgment,  op<;ns  the  understanding,  and  rectifies  both  the 
judgment  and  conscience.  So  we  confess  also,  that  con- 
science is  an  excellent  thing,  where  it  is  rightly  informed 
and  enlightened  ;  wherefore  some  of  us  have  fitly  coni- 
The  natural  pared  it  to  the  lanthorn,  and  the  light  of  Christ  to  a  candle  : 
compared*  a  lanthorn  is  useful,  when  a  clear  candle  burns  and  shines  in 

to  a  Ian-  jt  •  [jyt  otherwise  of  no  use.  To  the  light  of  Christ  then 
thorn,  and    .  ,  °  ,  .  . 

the  light  of  in  the  conscience,  and  not  to  man  s  natural  conscience,  it 

orndte.'"  "  '^^^  continually  commend  men ;  this,  not  that,  is  it 
which  we  preach  up,  and  direct  people  to,  as  to  a  most 
certain  guide  unto  life  eternal. 

Lastly,  This  light,  seed,  &c.,  appears  to  be  no  power  or 
natural  faculty  of  man's  mind  ;  because  a  man  that  is  in 
his  health  can,  when  he  pleases,  stir  up,  move,  and  exer 
cise  the  faculties  of  his  soul ;  he  is  absolute  master  of  them  ; 
and  except  there  be  some  natural  cause  or  impediment  in 
the  way,  he  can  use  them  at  his  pleasure:   but  this  light 
and  seed  of  God  in  man    he  cannot  move  and  stir  up 
when  he  pleaseth ;  but  it  moves,  blows,  and  strives  with 
man,  as  the  Lord  seeth  meet.    For  though  there  be  a  pos- 
sibility of  salvation  to  every  man  during  the  day  of  his 
visitation,  yet  cannot  a  man,  at  any  time  when  he  pleaseth, 
The  wait-   or  hath  some  sense  of  his  misery,  stir  up  that  light  and 
the  raov-    grace,  SO  as  to  procure  to  himself  tenderness  of  heart ;  but 
in^  of  the  he  must  wait  for  it :  which  comes  upon  all  at  certain  times 
jf»ce*"      and  seasons,  wherein  it  works  powerfully  upon  the  soul, 


OF  UNIVERSAL  AND  SAVING  LIGHT. 


mightily  tenders  it,  and  breaks  it ;  at  which  time,  if  man 
resist  it  not,  but  closes  with  it,  he  comes  to  know  salvation 
by  it.  Even  as  the  lake  of  Bethesda  did  not  cure  all  those 
*hat  washed  in  it,  but  such  only  as  washed  first  after  the 
angel  had  moved  upon  the  waters  ;  so  God  moves  in  love 
to  mankind,  in  this  seed  in  his  heart,  atsomesingular  times, 
setting  his  sins  in  order  before  him,  and  seriously  invitmg 
him  to  repentance,  oflering  to  him  remission  of  sins  and 
Halvation  ;  which  if  man  accept  of,  he  may  be  saved.  Now 
there  is  no  man  alive,  and  I  am  confident  there  shall  be 
none  to  whom  this  paper  shall  come,  who,  if  they  will 
deal  faithfully  and  honestly  with  their  own  hearts,  will  not 
be  forced  to  acknowledge  that  they  have  been  sensible  of 
this  in  some  measure,  less  or  more  ;  which  is  a  thing  that 
man  cannot  bring  upon  himself  with  all  his  pains  and  in- 
dustry. This  then,  oh  man  and  woman  !  is  the  day  of 
God's  gracious  visitation  to  thy  soul,  which  if  thou  resist 
not,  thou  shalt  be  happy  for  ever.  This  is  the  day  of  the 
Lord,  which,  as  Christ  saith,  is  like  the  lightning,  which  iMat.  xxi». 
shineth  from  the  east  unto  the  west ;  and  the  wind  or  spirit,  j^^^  -  g 
which  blows  upon  the  heart,  and  no  man  knows  whither  it 
goes,  nor  whence  it  comes. 

§  XVII.  And  lastly.  This  leads  me  to  speak  concerning  Quia.  7. 
the  manner  of  this  seed  or  light's  operation  in  the  hearts 
of  all  men,  which  will  show  yet  more  manifestly,  how 
widely  we  differ  from  all  those  that  exalt  a  natural  power 
or  light  in  man  ;  and  how  our  principle  leads  above  all 
others  to  attribute  our  whole  salvation  to  the  mere  power, 
spirit,  and  grace  of  God. 

To  them  then  that  ask  us  after  this  manner.  How  do  ye 
differ  from  the  Pelagians  and  Arminians?  For  if  two  men 
have  equal  sufficient  light  and  grace,  and  the  one  be  saved 
Ijy  it,  and  the  other  not ;  is  it  not  because  the  one  improves 
^t,  the  other  not  ?  Is  not  then  the  will  of  man  the  cause 
of  the  one's  salvation  beyond  the  other  ?  I  say,  to  such 
we  thus  answer:  That  as  tiie  grace  and  light  in  all  is  siiffi-  The  light'i 
cien'  to  save  all.  and  of  its  own  nature  would  save  all  ;  so  order'u 
it  stri\  es  and  wrestles  with  all  in  order  to  save  them  ;  ne  salvation. 

13  T 


PROPOSITIONS   V.    AND  VI. 


that  resists  its  striving,  is  the  cause  of  I  s  own  condemna- 
tion ;  lie  that  resists  it  not,  it  becomes  his  salvation  :  so  that 
in  him  that  is  saved,  the  working  is  of  the  grace,  and  not 
of  me  man  ;  and  it  is  a  passiveness  rather  than  an  act ; 
though  afterwards,  as  man  is  wrought  upon,  there  is  a  will 
raised  in  him,  by  which  he  comes  to  be  a  co-worker  with 
the  grace :  for  according  to  that  of  Augustine,  <<  He  thai 
made  us  without  us,  will  not  save  us  without  us."  So  thai 
the  first  step  is  not  by  man's  working,  but  by  his  not  con- 
trary working.  And  we  believe,  that  at  these  singular  sea- 
sons of  every  man's  visitation  above  mentioned,  as  man  is 
wholly  unable  of  himself  to  work  with  the  grace,  neither 
can  he  move  one  step  out  of  the  natural  condition,  until 
the  grace  lay  hold  upon  him  ;  so  it  is  possible  for  him  to 
be  passive,  and  not  to  resist  it,  as  it  is  possible  for  him  to 
resist  it.  So  we  say,  the  grace  of  God  works  in  and  upon 
man's  nature ;  which,  though  of  itself  wholly  corrupted 
and  defiled,  and  prone  to  evil,  yet  is  capable  to  be  wrought 
upon  by  the  grace  of  God  ;  even  as  iron,  though  a  hard 
and  cold  metal  of  itself,  may  be  warmed  and  softened  tyy 
the  heat  of  the  fire,  and  wax  melted  by  the  sun.  And  as 
iron  or  wax,  when  removed  from  the  fire  or  sun,  returneth 
to  its  former  condition  of  coldness  and  hardness ;  so  man's 
heart,  as  it  resists  or  retires  from  the  grace  of  God,  returns 
to  its  former  condition  again.  I  have  often  had  the  mannei 
of  God's  working,  in  order  to  salvation  towards  all  men, 
illustrated  to  my  mind  by  one  or  two  clear  examples, 
which  I  shall  here  add  for  the  information  of  others. 

The  first  is.  Of  a  man  heavily  diseased  ;  to  whom  I 
compare  man  in  his  fallen  and  natural  condition.  I  sup- 
pose God,  who  is  the  great  physician,  not  only  to  give  this 
man  physic,  after  he  hath  used  all  the  industry  he  can  for 
his  own  health,  by  any  skill  or  knowledge  of  his  own  ;  as 
those  that  say,  If  a  man  improve  his  reason  or  natural  fa- 
culties, God  will  superadd  grace  ;  or,  as  others  say,  that 
he  Cometh  and  maketh  offer  of  a  remedy  to  this  man  out- 
wardly, leaving  it  to  the  liberty  of  man's  will  either  to  re- 
ceive it  or  reject  it.    But  He,  even  the  Lord,  "his  great 


OF  UNIVERSAL  AND   SAVING  LIGHT, 


147 


physician,  cometh  and  poureth  the  remedy  into  h  s  mouth, 
and  as  it  weie  layeth  him  in  his  bed  ;  so  that  if  the  sick 
man  be  but  passive,  it  will  necessarily  work  the  effect :  but 
if  he  be  stubborn  and  untoward,  and  will  needs  rise  up 
and  go  forth  into  the  cold,  or  eat  such  fruits  as  are  hurtful 
to  him,  while  the  medicine  should  operate  ;  then,  though 
of  its  nature  it  tendeth  to  cure  him,  yet  it  will  prove  de- 
structive to  him,  because  of  those  obstructions  which  it 
meeteth  with.  Now  as  the  man  that  should  thus  undo 
himself  would  certainly  be  the  cause  of  his  own  death  ;  so 
who  will  say,  that,  if  cured,  he  owes  not  his  health 
wholly  to  the  physician,  and  not  to  any  deed  of  his  own  ; 
seeing  his  part  was  not  any  action,  but  a  passiveness  ? 

The  second  example  is,  Of  divers  men  lying  in  a  dark  The  exam 
pit  together,  where  all  their  senses  are  so  stupifieil,  that  {^fng^srupl 

they  are  scarce  sensible  of  their  own  misery.    To  this  I^^"*. 
■'  •'        .  .  dark  pit, 

compare  man  in  his  natural,  corrupt,  fallen  condition.  I  and  their 
suppose  not  that  any  of  these  men,  wrestling  to  deliver  them- 
selves,  do  thereby  stir  up  or  engage  one  able  to  deliver  them 
to  give  them  his  help,  saying  within  himself,  I  see  one  of 
these  men  willing  to  be  delivered,  and  doing  what  in  him 
lies,  therefore  he  deserves  to  be  assisted  ;  as  say  the  Soci- 
nians.  Pelagians,  and  Semi-Pelagians.  Neither  do  I  sup- 
pose that  this  deliverer  comes  to  the  top  of  the  pit,  and 
puts  down  a  ladder,  desiring  them  that  will  to  come  up  • 
and  so  puts  them  upon  using  their  own  strength  and  will  to 
come  up;  as  do  the  Jesuits  and  Arminians:  yet,  as  they 
say,  such  are  not  delivered  without  the  grace ;  seeing  the 
grace  is  that  ladder  by  which  they  were  delivered.  But  I 
suppose  that  the  deliverer  comes  at  certain  times,  and  fully 
discovers  and  informs  them  of  the  great  misery  and  hazard 
they  are  in,  if  they  continue  in  that  noisome  and  pestiferous 
place  ;  yea,  forces  them  to  a  certain  sense  of  their  misery, 
(for  the  wickedest  men  at  times  are  made  sensible  of  their 
misery  by  God's  visitation,)  and  not  only  so,  but  lays  hold 
upon  them,  and  gives  them  a  pull,  in  order  to  lift  them  out 
of  their  misery  ;  which  if  they  resist  not  will  save  them  ; 
only  '.hey  may  resist  it.    This  being  applied  as  the  former. 


us 


PROPOSITIONS  V.  AN.)  VI. 


(loth  the  same  way  illustrate  the  matter.    Neither  is  the 
grace  of  God  frustrated,  though  the  effect  of  it  be  diverse, 
according  to  itf;  object,  being  the  ministration  of  mercy  and 
love  in  those  that  reject  it  not,  but  receive  it,  John  i.  12, 
but  the  ministration  of  wrath  and  condemnation  in  those 
A  8ii.:il«  jl  that  do  reject  it,  John  iii.  19,  even  as  the  sun,  by  one  act 
melfing  ar  d  or  operation,  melteth  and  softeneth  the  wax,  and  hardeneth 
fciideniR--    the  clay.    The  nature  of  the  sun  is  to  cherish  the  creation, 

pi)  WOT 

and  therefore  the  living  are  refreshed  by  it,  and  the  flowers 
send  forth  a  good  savour,  as  it  shines  upon  them,  and  the 
fruits  of  the  trees  are  ripened  ;  yet  cast  forth  a  dead  car- 
cass, a  thing  without  life,  and  the  same  reflection  of  the 
sun  will  cause  it  to  stink,  and  putrefy  it ;  yet  is  not  the  sun 
said  thereby  to  be  frustrated  of  its  proper  effect.  So  every 
man  during  the  day  of  his  visitation  is  shined  upon  by  the 
sun  of  righteousness,  and  capable  of  being  influenced  by 
it,  so  as  to  send  forth  good  fruit,  and  a  good  savour,  and 
to  be  melted  by  it ;  but  when  he  hath  sinned  out  his  day, 
then  the  same  sun  hardeneth  him,  as  it  doth  the  clay,  and 
makes  his  wickedness  more  to  appear  and  putrefy,  and  sen( 
forth  an  evil  savour. 
All  have  §  XVIII.  Lastly,  As  we  truly  affirm  that  God  willeth  nc 
-iem  for'"''  perish,  and  therefore  hath  given  to  all  grace  suf- 

Balvation  ficient  for  salvation ;  so  we  do  not  deny,  but  that  in  a 
aiven  them  •  i  i  i         ■  •  u 

of  God.      special  manner  he  worketh  m  some,  in  whom  grace  so 

prevaileth,  th.it  they  necessarily  obtain  salvation  ;  neither 
doth  God  suffer  them  to  resist.  For  it  were  absurd  to  say, 
that  God  had  not  far  otherwise  extended  himself  towards 
the  virgin  Mary  and  the  apostle  Paul,  than  toward?  many 
others :  neither  can  we  affirm  that  God  equally  loved  the 
beloved  disciple  Jo'hn  and  Judas  the  traitor ;  yet  so  far, 
nevertheless,  as  none  wanted  such  a  measure  of  grace  by 
which  they  might  have  been  saved,  all  are  justly  inexcus- 
able. And  also  God  working  in  those  to  whom  this  pre- 
valency  of  grace  is  given,  doth  so  hide  himself,  to  shut  out 
all  security  and  presumption,  that  such  may  be  humbled, 
and  the  free  grace  of  God  magnified,  and  all  reputed  to  be 
of  the  free  gift ;  and  nothing  from  the  strength  of  self 


OF  UNIVERSAL  AND  SAVING  LIGHT 


149 


Those  also  who  perish,  when  they  remember  ho^e  times 
of  God's  visitation  towards  them,  wherein  he  wrestled  with 
them  by  his  Light  and  Spirit,  are  forced  to  -confess,  that 
there  was  a  time  wherein  the  door  of  mercy  was  open  unto 
them,  and  that  they  are  justly  condemned,  because  they 
rejected  their  own  salvation. 

Thus  both  the  mercy  and  justice  of  God  are  established, 
and  the  will  and  strength  of  man  are  brought  down  and 
rejected  ;  his  condemnation  is  made  to  be  of  himself,  and 
his  salvation  only  to  depend  upon  God.  Also  by  these 
positions  two  great  objections,  which  often  are  brought 
against  this  doctrine,  are  well  solved. 

The  first  is  deduced  from  those  places  of  scripture,  Objict. 
wherein  God  seems  precisely  to  have  decreed  and  pre- 
destinated some  to  salvation ;  and  for  that  end,  to  have 
ordained  certain  means,  which  fall  not  out  to  others ;  as 
in  the  calling  of  Abraham,  David,  and  others,  and  in  the 
conversion  of  Paul  ;  for  these  being  numbered  among 
such  to  whom  this  prevalency  is  given,  the  objection  is 
easily  loosed. 

The  second  is  drawn  from  those  places,  wherein  God  Predestina 
seems  to  have  ordained  some  wicked  persons  to  destruc-  yation*  and 
tion  :  and  therefore  to  have  obdured  their  hearts  to  force  pre-ordma- 
them  unto  great  sins,  and  to  have  raised  them  up,  that  he  struction, 
might  show  in  them  his  power,  who,  if  they  be  numbered 
amongst  those  men  whose  day  of  visitation  is  passed  over, 
that  objection  is  also  solved ;  as  will  more  evidently  ap- 
pear to  any  one  that  will  make  a  particular  application  of 
those  things,  which  I  at  this  time,  for  brevity's  sake, 
thought  meet  to  pass  over. 

§  XIX.  Having  thus  clearly  and  evidently  stated  the 
(picstion,  and  opened  our  mind  and  judgment  in  this  mat- 
ter, as  divfrs  objections  are  hereby  prevented,  so  will  it 
make  our  proof  both  the  easier  and  the  shorter. 

The  first  thing  to  be  proved  is,  That  God  hath  given  to  Pro?  i 
every  man  a  day  or  time  of  visitation,  wherein  it  is  possible  P'"***^ 
for  him  to  be  saved.    If  we  can  prove  that  there  is  a  day 
and  time  given,  in  which  those  might  have  been  saved  that 
13* 


150 


PROPOSITIONS  V.   AND  VT. 


actuall}'  perish,  the  matter  is  done:  for  none  deny  bul 

Proof  1.    those  that  are  saved  have  a  day  of  visitation.    This  then 

appears  by  the  regrets  and  complaints  which  the  Spirit  of 

God  throughout  the  whole  scriptures  makes,  even  to  those 

Those  that  that  did  perish  ;  sharply  reproving  them,  for  that  they  did 

B*day';r"'^  not  accept  of,  nor  close  with  God's  visitation  and  offer  cf 

niercj  or-  mercv  to  them.  Thus  the  Lord  expresses  himself  then 
fered  them.  *'  .  .  ^ 

first  of  all  to  Cain,  Gen.  iv.  6,  7,  "  And  the  Lord  said  unto 

Instances  Cain,  Why  art  thou  wroth .''  and  why  is  thy  countenance 
1.  Cain.  fallen  ?  If  thou  jost  well,  shalt  thou  not  be  accepted  If 
thou  dost  not  well,  sin  lieth  at  the  door."  This  was  said 
to  Cain  before  he  slew  his  brother  Abel,  when  the  evil 
seed  began  to  tempt  him,  and  work  in  his  heart ;  we  see 
how  God  gave  warning  to  Cain  in  season,  and  in  the  day 
of  his  visitation  towards  him,  acceptance  and  remission  if 
he  did  well :  for  this  interrogation,  "  Shalt  thou  not  be  ac- 
cepted.'"' imports  an  affirmative,  "Thou  shalt  be  accepted, 
if  thou  dost  well."  So  that  if  we  may  trust  God  Almighty, 
the  fountain  of  all  truth  and  equity,  it  was  possible  in  a 
day,  even  for  Cain  to  be  accepted.  Neither  could  God 
have  proposed  the  doing  of  good  as  a  condition,  if  he  had 
not  given  Cain  sufficient  strength,  whereby  he  was  capable 
to  do  good.  This  the  Lord  himself  also  shows,  even  thai 
t.  The  old  he  gave  a  day  of  visitation  to  the  old  world.  Gen.  vi.  3, 
c<  And  the  Lord  said,  My  Spirit  shall  not  always  strive  in 
man  ;"  for  so  it  ought  to  be  translated.  This  manifestly 
implies,  that  his  Spirit  did  strive  with  man,  and  doth  strive 
with  him  for  a  season  ;  which  season  expiring,  God  ceaseth 
to  strive  with  him,  in  order  to  save  him :  for  the  Spirit  of 
God  cannot  be  said  to  strive  with  man  after  the  day  of  his 
visitation  is  expired  ;  seeing  it  naturally,  and  without  any 
resistance,  works  its  effect  then,  to  wit,  continually  to  judge 
and  condemn  him.  From  this  day  of  visitation,  that  God 
tJod  is  long  hath  given  to  every  one,  is  it  that  he  is  said  to  "  wait  to  be 
andTong'  gracious,"  Isa.  XXX.  18,  and  to  be  "  long  suffering,"  Exod. 
waiting  to  xxxiv.  6:  Numb.  xiv.  18;  Psal.  Ixxxvi.  15;  Jer.  xv.  15. 

be  gracious  '  ... 

»nto  all—   Here  the  prophet  Jeremy,  in  his  prayer,  lays  hold  upon 
the  "  long  suffering  of  God  ;"  and  in  his  expostulating 


OF  UNIVERSAL  AND   SAVING  LIGHT. 


151 


.rith  God,  he  shuts  out  the  objection  of  our  adversaries  in 
(he  18th  verse:  "Why  is  my  pain  perpetual,  and  ray 
wound  incirable,  which  refuseth  to  be  healed?  Wilt  thou 
altogether  be  unto  me  as  a  liar,  and  as  waters  that  fail?" 
Whereas  according  to  our  adversaries'  opinion,  the  pain 
of  the  most  part  of  men  is  perpetual,  and  their  wound  alto- 
gether incurable ;  yea,  the  offer  of  the  gospel,  and  of  sal- 
vation unto  them,  is  as  a  lie,  and  as  waters  that  fail,  being 
never  intended  to  be  of  any  eflfect  unto  them.  The  apostle 
Peter  says  expressly,  that  this  long  suffering  of  God  waited 
in  the  days  of  Noah  for  those  of  the  old  world,  1  Pet.  iii. 
20,  which,  being  compared  with  that  of  Gen.  vi.  3,  before 
mentioned,  doth  sufficiently  hold  forth  our  proposition. 
And  that  none  may  object  that  this  long  suffering  or  striv- 
ing of  the  Lord  was  not  in  order  to  save  them,  the  same  — InordM 
apostle  saith  expressly,  2  Pet.  iii.  15,  That  the  long  suf-  them, 
fering  of  God  is  to  be  accounted  salvation  ;  and  with 
this  '<  long  suffering,"  a  little  before  in  the  9th  verse,  he 
couples,  "  That  God  is  not  willing  that  any  should  perish." 
Where,  taking  him  to  be  his  own  interpreter,  as  he  is  most 
fit,  he  holdeth  forth.  That  those  to  whom  the  Lord  is  long 
suffering,  which  he  declareth  he  was  to  the  wicked  of  the 
old  world,  and  is  now  to  all,  <'  not  willing  that  any  should 
perish,"  they  are  to  account  this  long  suffering  of  God  to 
them  salvation.  Now  how  or  in  what  respect  can  they 
account  it  salvation,  if  there  be  not  so  much  as  a  possibility 
of  salvation  conveyed  to  them  therein  ?  For  it  were  not 
salvation  to  them,  if  they  could  not  be  saved  by  it.  In 
this  matter  Peter  further  refers  to  the  writings  of  Paul, 
holding  forth  this  to  have  been  the  universal  doctrine. 
Where  it  is  observable  what  he  adds  upon  this  occasion, 
how  there  are  some  things  in  Paul's  epistles  hard  to  be  Somo 
understood,  which  the  unstable  and  unlearned  wrest  to  Pauf'eepi* 
their  own  destruction  ;  insinuating  plainly  this  of  those  [,g  " 
expressions  in  Paul's  epistles,  as  Rom.  ix.,  &c.,  which  stood, 
some,  unlearned  in  spiritual  things,  did  make  to  contradict 
the  truth  of  God's  long  suffering  towards  all,  in  which  he 
villeth  not  any  of  them  should  perish,  and  in  which  they 


162 


PROPOSITIONS  V.   AND  VI. 


all  may  be  saved.  Would  to  God  many  haa  taken  mor< 
heed  than  they  have  done  to  this  advertisement !  That 
place  of  the  apostle  Paul,  which  Poter  seems  here  most 
particularly  to  hint  at,  doth  much  contribute  also  to  clear 
the  matter,  Rom.  ii.  4,  "  Despisest  thou  the  riches  of  his 
goodness,  and  forbearance,  and  long  suffering,  not  know- 
ing that  the  goodness  of  God  leadeth  thee  to  repentance  ?" 
Paul  speaketh  here  to  the  unregenerate,  and  to  the  wicked, 
who,  in  the  following  verse  he  saith,  "Treasure  up  wrath 
unto  the  day  of  wrath ;"  and  to  such  he  commends  the 
riches  of  the  forbearance  and  long  suffering  of  God  ;  show- 
ing that  the  tendency  of  God's  goodness  leadeth  to  repent- 
ance. How  could  it  necessarily  tend  to  lead  them  to 
repentance,  how  could  it  be  called  riches  or  goodness  to 
them,  if  there  were  not  a  time  wherein  they  might  repent 
by  it,  and  come  to  be  sharers  of  the  riches  exhibited  in  it  ? 
From  all  which  I  thus  argue : 
Aro.  If  God  plead  with  the  wicked,  from  the  possibility  of 

rit'etri^s'  their  being  accepted  ;  if  God's  Spirit  strive  \n  them  for  a 
uuhewick-  season,  in  order  to  save  them,  who  afterwards  perish  ;  if 
he  wait  to  be  gracious  unto  them  ;  if  he  be  long  suffering 
towards  them  :  and  if  this  long:  suffering  be  salvation  to 
them  while  it  endureth,  during  which  time  God  willeth 
them  not  to  perish,  but  exhibiteth  to  them  the  riches  of  his 
goodness  and  forbearance  to  lead  them  to  repentance; 
then  there  is  a  day  of  visitation  wherein  such  might  have 
been,  or  some  such  now  may  be  saved,  who  have  perished, 
and  may  perish,  if  they  repent  not : 

But  the  first  is  true ;  therefore  also  the  last. 
R.  II.  §  XX.   Secondly,  This  appeareth  from  the  prophet 

Isaiah,  v.  4,  "  What  could  I  have  done  more  to  my  vine- 
The  vine-  yard  ?"  For  in  verse  2,  he  saith  :  He  had  fenced  it,  and 
c^brolril'  g'^thered  out  the  stones  thereof,  and  planted  it  with  the 
forth  wifd  choic  est  vine ;  and  yet,  saith  he,  "  when  I  looked  it 
should  have  brought  forth  grapes,  it  brought  forth  wild 
grapes."  Wherefore,  he  calleth  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusa- 
lem^ and  men  of  Judah,  to  judge  betwixt  him  and  his 
vineyard,  saying ;  "  What  could  I  have  done  more  to  my 


grapes. 


OF  UNIVERSAL  AND  SAVING  LIGHT 


153 


vineyard,  lhan  I  have  done  in  it  ?  and  yet,"  as  is  said,  <<  it 
brought  forth  wild  grapes :"  which  was  applied  to  many 
in  Israel  who  refused  God's  mercy.  The  same  example  is 
used  by  Christ,  Mat.  xxi.  33  ;  Mark  xii.  1  ;  Luke  xx.  9, 
where  Jesus  shows,  how  to  some  a  vineyard  was  planted, 
and  all  things  given  necessary  for  them,  to  get  them  fruit 
to  pay  or  restore  to  their  master ;  and  how  the  master  many 
times  waited  to  be  merciful  to  them,  in  sending  servants 
after  servants,  and  passing  by  many  offences,  before  he  de- 
termined to  destroy  and  cast  them  out.  First  then,  this 
cannot  be  understood  of  the  saints,  or  of  such  as  repent 
and  are  saved;  for  it  is  said  expressly,  "He  will  destroy 
them."  Neither  would  the  parable  any  ways  have  answered 
the  end  for  which  it  is  alleged,  if  these  men  had  not  been 
in  a  capacity  to  have  done  good  ;  yea,  such  was  their 
capacity,  that  Christ  saith  in  the  prophet,  '<  What  could  I 
have  done  more So  that  it  is  more  than  manifest,  that 
by  this  parable,  repeated  in  three  sundry  evangelists,  Christ 
holds  forth  his  long  suffering  towards  men,  and  their 
wickedness,  to  whom  means  of  salvation  being  afforded, 
iio  nevertheless  resist,  to  their  own  condemnation.  To 
these  also  are  parallel  these  scriptures,  Pro.  i.  24,  25,  26  ; 
Jer.  xviii.  9,  10 ;  Mat.  xviii,  32,  33,  34 ;  Acts  xiii.  46. 

Lastly,  That  there  is  a  day  of  visitation  given  to  the  Pr  III 
wicked,  wherein  they  might  have  been  saved,  and  which 
being  expired,  they  are  shut  out  from  salvation,  appears 
evidently  by  Christ's  lamentation  over  Jerusalem,  expressed  Chrisi'g  la 
in  three  sundry  places,  Matth.  xxiii.  37  ;  Luke  xiii.  34  ;  ^er'jcn!* 
and  xix.  41,  42  ;  '<  And  when  he  was  come  near,  he  be-  ^a'**"* 
held  the  city,  and  wept  over  it,  saying:  If  thou  hadst 
known,  even  thou,  at  least  in  this  thy  day,  the  things  which 
belong  unto  thy  peace  ;  but  now  they  are  hid  from  thine 
eyes!"    Than  which  nothing  can  be  said  more  evident  to 
prove  our  doctrine.    For,  First,  he  insinuates  that  there 
was  a  day  wherein  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  might  have 
known  those  things  that  belonged  to  their  peace.  Se- 
condly, That  during  that  day  he  was  willing  to  have 
ga*liered  them,  even  as  an  "hen  gafhereth  her  chickens." 

u 


1^4 


PBOPOSITIONS  V.   AND  VI. 


hearii  are 
hardened. 


The  one 
talent  was 
•ufficient. 


A  familiar  example,  yet  very  significative  in  this  :ase 
which  shows  that  the  offer  of  salvation  made  unto  them 
was  not  in  vain  on  his  part,  but  as  really,  and  with  as  great 
cheerfulness  and  willingness,  as  a  "hen  gathereth  her 
chickens."  Such  as  is  the  love  and  care  of  the  hen  toward 
her  brood,  such  is  the  care  of  Christ  to  gather  lost  men  and 
women,  to  redeem  them  out  of  their  corrupt  and  degene- 
rate state.  Thirdly,  That  because  they  refused,  the  things 
belonging  to  their  peace  were  hid  from  their  eyes.  Why 
were  they  hid  ?  Because  ye  would  not  suffer  me  to  gather 
you ;  ye  would  not  see  those  things  that  were  good  for 
you,  in  the  season  of  God's  love  towards  you  ;  and  there- 
fore now,  that  day  being  expired,  ye  cannot  see  them : 
and,  for  a  farther  judgment,  God  suffers  you  to,be  harden- 
ed in  unbelief. 

So  it  is,  after  real  offers  of  mercy  and  salvation  rejected, 
that  men's  hearts  are  hardened,  and  not  before.  Thus  that 
saying  is  verified,  "  To  him  that  hath,  shall  be  given  ;  and 
from  him  that  hath  not,  shall  be  taken  away  even  that  which 
he  hatli."  This  may  seem  a  riddle,  yet  it  is  according  to 
this  doctrine  easily  solved.  He  hath  not,  because  he  hath 
lost  the  season  of  using  it,  and  so  to  him  it  is  now  as  no- 
thing ;  for  Christ  uses  this  expression,  Matth.  xxv.  26,  upon 
the  occasion  of  the  taking  the  one  talent  from  the  slothful 
servant,  and  giving  it  to  him  that  was  diligent;  which 
talent  was  no  ways  insufficient  of  itself,  but  of  the  same 
nature  with  those  given  to  the  others ;  and  therefore  the 
Lord  had  reason  to  exact  the  profit  of  it  proportionably,  as 
well  as  from  the  rest :  so  I  say,  it  is  after  the  rejecting  of 
the  day  of  visitation,  that  the  judgment  of  obduration  'S 
inflicted  upon  men  and  women,  as  Christ  pronounceth  t 
upon  the  Jews  out  of  Isa.  vi.  9,  which  all  the  four  evange- 
lists make  mention  of,  Malth.  xiii.  14;  Mark  iv.  12;  Luke 
viii.  10  ;  John  xii.  40  ;  and  last  of  all  the  apostle  Paul, 
after  he  had  made  offer  of  the  gospel  of  salvation  to  the 
Jews  at  Roi.ie,  pronounceth  the  same.  Acts  xxviii.  26, 
after  that  some  believed  not ;  "  Well  spake  llie  Holy  Ghost, 
by  Isaiah  the  prophet,  unto  our  fathers,  saying.  Go  unto 


OF  UNIVERSAL  AND  SAVING  LIGHT. 


this  pc(  pie,  and  say,  Hearing  ye  shall  hear,  and  shall  not 
understand  ;  and  seeing  ye  shall  see,  and  shall  not  perceive. 
For  the  heart  of  this  people  is  waxed  gross,  and  their  ears 
are  dull  of  hearing,  and  their  eyes  have  they  closed ;  lest 
they  should  see  with  their  eyes,  and  hear  with  then  ears, 
and  understand  with  their  hearts,  and  should  be  converted, 
and  I  should  heal  them."  So  it  appears,  that  God  would 
have  them  to  see,  but  they  closed  their  eyes;  and  there- 
fore they  are  justly  hardened.  Of  this  matter  Cyrillus  Cynl  Ale 
Alexandrinus  upon  John,  lib.  6,  cap.  21,  speaks  well,  an- 
swering to  this  objection.  "  But  some  may  say,  if  Christ 
be  come  into  the  world,  that  those  that  see  may  be  blinded, 
their  blindness  is  not  imputed  unto  them ;  but  it  rather 
seems  that  Christ  is  the  cause  of  their  blindness,  who  saith, 
'  He  is  come  into  the  world,  that  those  that  see  may  be 
blinded.'  But,"  saith  he,  "they  speak  not  rationally,  who 
object  these  things  unto  God,  and  are  not  afraid  to  call  him 
the  author  of  evil.  For,  as  the  sensible  sun  is  carried  upon 
our  horizon,  that  it  may  communicate  the  gift  of  its  clear- 
ness unto  all,  and  make  its  light  shine  upon  all;  yet  if  any 
one  close  his  eyelids,  or  willingly  turn  himself  from  the  The  caus 
sun,  refusing  the  benefit  of  its  light,  he  wants  its  illumina-  rcmalnin- 
tion,  and  remains  in  darkness,  not  through  the  defect  of  in  dark- 
the  sun,  but  through  his  own  fault.  So  that  the  true  Sun,  dosi'nahi 
who  came  to  enlighten  those  that  sat  in  darkness,  and  in 
the  region  of  the  shadow  of  death,  visited  the  earth  for  this 
cause,  that  he  might  communicate  unto  all  the  gift  of  know- 
ledge and  grace,  and  illuminate  the  inward  eyes  of  all  by 
a  spiritual  splendour:  but  many  reject  the  gift  of  this  hea- 
venly light  freely  given  to  them,  and  have  closed  the  eyes 
of  their  minds,  lest  so  excellent  an  illumination  or  irradia- 
tion of  the  eternal  light  should  shine  unto  them.  It  is  not 
then  through  defect  of  the  true  Sun  that  they  are  blinded, 
but  only  through  their  own  iniquity  and  hardness ;  '  for,' 
as  the  wise  man  saith.  Wisdom  ii.,  <  their  wickedness  hath 
blinded  them.'  " 

From  all  which  I  thus  argue : 

If  there  was  a  day  wherein  the  obstinate  Jews  might  have 


156 


PROPOSITIONS  V.   AND  VI. 


The  obsti- 
nate Jews 
had  s  day. 


Prop.  II. 
Proved. 


Proof  I. 

The  light 
enlighten- 
ing every 
man,  &c. 


Obs.  1. 


— Not  to  a 
certain 
number  of 
men,  but 
tvery  man. 


known  the  things  that  belonged  to  their  peace,  which,  be 
cause  they  rejected  it,  was  hid  from  their  eyes  ;  if  there 
was  a  time  wherein  Christ  would  have  gathered  them,  who, 
because  they  refused,  could  not  be  galhered  ;  then  such  as 
might  have  been  saved  do  actually  perish,  that  slighted  the 
day  of  God's  visitation  towards  them,  wherein  they  might 
have  been  converted  and  saved. 

But  the  first  is  true  ;  therefore  also  the  last. 

§  XXI.  Secondly,  That  which  comes  in  the  second  place 
to  be  proved  is,  That  whereby  God  offers  to  work  this  sal- 
vation during  the  day  of  every  man's  visitation  ;  and  that 
is,  That  he  hath  given  to  every  man  a  measure  of  saving, 
sufficient,  and  supernatural  light  and  grace.  This  I  shall 
do,  by  God's  assistance,  by  some  plain  and  clear  testimo- 
nies of  the  scripture. 

First,  From  that  of  John  i.  9 :  "  That  was  the  true  light, 
which  lighteth  every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world." 
This  place  doth  so  clearly  favour  us,  that  by  some  it  is 
called  the  Quaker's  text ;  for  it  doth  evidently  demonstrate 
our  assertion  ;  so  that  it  scarce  needs  either  consequence 
or  deduction,  seeing  itself  is  a  consequence  of  two  propo- 
sitions asserted  in  the  former  verses,  from  which  it  followeth 
as  a  conclusion  in  the  very  terms  of  our  faith.  The  first 
of  these  propositions  is,  "  The  life  that  is  in  hiin  is  the  light 
of  men  :"  the  second,  "  The  light  shineth  in  the  darkness  :" 
and  from  these  two  he  infers,  and  "He  is  the  true  light, 
which  lighteth  every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world." 

From  whence  I  do  in  .short  observe.  That  this  divine 
apostle  calls  Christ  the  light  of  men,  and  giveth  us  this  as 
one  of  the  chief  properties,  at  least  considerably  and  espe- 
cially to  be  observed  by  us;  seeing  hereby,  as  he  is  the 
light,  and  as  we  walk  with  him  in  that  light  which  he  ( om- 
municates  to  us,  we  come  to  have  fellowship  and  commu- 
nion with  him  ;  as  the  same  aposile  saith  elsewhere,  1  John  i. 
7.  Secondly,  That  this  light  shineth  in  darkness,  thougn 
the  darkness  comprehend  it  not.  Thirdly,  That  this  true 
light  eidighteneth  every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world. 
Where  the  aj)ostle,  being  directed  by  God's  Sjjirit,  hath 


OF  UNIVERSAL  AND  SAVING  LIGHT. 


careful!}  avoided  their  captiousness,  that  would  have  fe- 
stricted  this  to  any  certain  number:  where  every  one  is, 
there  is  none  excluded.  Next,  should  they  be  so  obstinate, 
as  sometimes  they  are,  as  to  say  that  this  [every  man]  is 
only  every  one  of  the  elect ;  these  words  following,  "  every 
man  that  cometh  into  the  world,"  would  obviate  that  objec- 
tion. So  that  it  is  plain  there  comes  no  man  into  the  world, 
whom  Christ  hath  not  enlightened  in  some  measure,  and 
in  whose  dark  heart  this  light  doth  not  shine ;  though  the 
<'  darkness  comprehend  it  not,"  yet  it  shineth  there ;  and 
the  nature  thereof  is  to  dispel  the  darkness,  where  men 
shut  not  their  eyes  upon  it.  Now  for  what  end  this  light  The  li^ht 
is  given,  is  expressed  in  verse  7,  where  John  is  said  to  da^r^fnes? 
come  for  a  "  witness,  to  bear  witness  to  the  light,  that  all  ^^^^^^ 
men  through  it  might  believe ;"  to  wit,  through  the  light, 
Si  outS,  which  doth  very  well  agree  with  (pwrog,  as  being  the 
nearest  antecedent,  though  most  translators  have  (to  make 
it  suit  with  their  own  doctrine)  made  it  relate  to  John,  as 
if  all  men  were  to  believe  through  John.  For  which,  as 
there  is  nothing  directly  in  the  text,  so  it  is  contrary  to  the 
very  strain  of  the  context.  For,  seeing  Christ  hath  lighted 
every  man  with  this  light.  Is  it  not  that  they  may  come  to 
Relieve  through  it All  could  not  believe  through  John, 
because  all  men  could  not  know  of  John's  testimony ; 
whereas  every  man  being  lighted  by  this  may  come  there- 
through to  believe.  John  shined  not  in  darkness  ;  but  this 
light  shineth  in  the  darkness,  that  having  dispelled  the  dark- 
ness, it  may  produce  and  beget  faith.  And  lastly.  We 
must  believe  through  that,  and  become  believers  through 
that,  by  walking  in  which,  fellowship  with  God  is  known 
and  enjoyed  ;  but,  as  hath  been  above  observed,  it  is  by 
walking  in  this  light  that  we  have  this  communion  and  fel- 
lovv.ship  ;  not  by  walking  in  John,  which  were  nonsen.se. 
So  that  this  relative  Si  am-S,  must  needs  be  referred  to  the 
light,  whereof  John  bears  witness,  that  through  that  light, 
wherewith  Christ  hath  lighted  every  man,  all  men  might 
come  to  believe.  Seeing  then  this  light  is  the  light  of  Jesus 
Chnst,  and  the  light  through  which  men  come  to  believe, 
14 


158 


PROPOSITIONS  V.   AND  VI. 


The  light  is  I  t&ink  it  needs  not  to  be  doubted,  but  that  it  is  a  super 
raK*eaving,  natural,  saving,  and  sufficient  light.    If  it  were  not  super- 
cieiu         natural,  it  could  not  be  properly  called  the  light  of  Jesus  ; 

for  though  all  things  be  his,  and  of  him,  and  from  hini ; 
yet  those  things  which  are  common  and  peculiar  to  oar  na- 
ture, as  being  a  part  of  it,  we  are  not  said  in  so  special  a 
manner  to  have  from  Christ.  Moreover,  the  evangelist 
is  holding  out  to  us  here  the  office  of  Christ  as  mediator, 
and  the  benefits  which  from  him  as  such,  do  redound 
unto  us. 

Obs.  2.  Secondly,  It  cannot  be  any  of  the  natural  gifts  or  facul- 

ties of  our  soul,  whereby  we  are  said  here  to  be  enlight- 
ened, because  this  light  is  said  to  "  shine  in  the  darkness," 
Tiie  dark-  and  cannot  be  comprehended  by  it.    Now  this  darkness  is 
man'rnatu-      Other  but  man's  natural  condition  and  state  ;  in  which 

ral  state  natural  state  he  can  easily  comprehend,  and  doth  comnre- 
and  coiidi-    ,       ,    ,  ,  .         ,  ,  ,  . 

tion.         hend,  those  thmgs  that  are  peculiar  and  common  to  hira  as 

such.  That  man  in  his  natural  condition  is  called  dark- 
ness, see  Eph.  v.  8 :  "  For  ye  were  sometimes  darkness, 
but  now  are  ye  light  in  the  Lord."  And  in  other  places, 
as  Acts  xxvi.  18,  Col.  i.  13,  1  Thess.  v.  5,  where  the  con- 
dition of  man  in  his  natural  state  is  termed  darkness:  there- 
fore I  say  this  light  cannot  be  any  natural  property  or  fa- 
culty of  man's  soul,  but  a  supernatural  gift  and  grace  of 
Christ. 

Obs.  3.  Thirdly,  It  is  sufficient  and  saving. 

Aaa.  1.  That  which  is  given  "that  all  men  through  it  may  be- 
lieve," must  needs  be  saving  and  sufficient:  that,  by  walk- 
ing in  which,  fellowship  with  the  saints  and  the  blood  of 
Christ,  "  which  cleanselh  from  all  sin,"  is  possessed,  must 
be  sufficient: 

But  such  is  the  Light,  1  John,  i.  7. 
Therefore,  &c. 
Moreover ; 

Ae«.  2.  That  which  we  are  commanded  to  believe  in  "  that  we 
may  become  the  children  of  the  light,"  must  be  a  super- 
natural, sufficient,  and  saving  principle: 

But  we  are  commanded  to  believe  in  this  light: 


OF  UNIVKRSAL   AND   SAVING  LIGHT. 


159 


Therefore,  &c. 

The  proposition  cannot  be  deniecl.  The  assumption  is 
Christ's  own  words,  John  xii.  36  :  "  While  ye  have  the 
light,  beheve  in  the  light,  that  ye  may  be  the  children  of 
the  light." 

To  this  they  object,  That  by  light    here  is  understood  Objfct. 
Christ's  outward  person,  in  whom  he  would  have  them  be- 
lieve. 

That  they  ought  to  have  believed  in  Christ,  that  is,  that  Answ. 

he  was  the  Messiah  that  was  to  come,  is  not  denied  ;  but 

how  they  evince  that  Christ  intended  that  here,  I  see  not :  WheiliT 

nay  the  place  itself  shows  the  contrary,  by  these  words,  outward 

"  While  ye  have  the  light ;"  and  by  the  verse  going  before,  f|^g^|°"|^  ^ 

<<  Walk  while  ye  have  the  light,  lest  darkness  come  upon 

you  :"  which  words  import,  that  when  that  light  in  which 

they  were  to  believe  was  removed,  then  they  should  lose 

the  capacity  or  season  of  believing.    Now  this  could  not 

be  understood  of  Christ's  person,  else  the  Jews  might  have 

believed  in  him  ;  and  many  did  savingly  believe  in  him,  as 

all  Christians  do  at  this  day,  when  the  person,  to  wit,  his 

bodily  presence,  or  outward  man,  is  far  removed  from 

them.    So  that  this  light  in  which  they  were  commanded  The  light 

to  believe  must  be  that  inward  spiritual  light  that  shines  in  not^^hrfst'B 

their  hearts  for  a  season,  even  durintr  the  day  of  man's  outwurd 

.     '  mai.  or  per 

visitation  ;  which  while  it  continueth  to  call,  invite  and  ex-  sor 

hort,  men  are  said  to  have  it,  and  may  believe  in  it ;  but 
when  men  refuse  to  believe  in  it,  and  reject  it,  then  it  ceas- 
eth  to  be  a  light  to  show  them  the  way ;  but  leaves  the 
sense  of  their  unfaithfulness  as  a  sting  in  their  conscience; 
which  is  a  terror  and  darkness  unto  them,  and  upon  them, 
in  which  they  cannot  know  where  to  go,  neither  can  work 
any  ways  profitably  in  order  to  their  salvation.  And  there- 
fore to  such  rebellious  ones  the  day  of  the  Lord  is  said  to 
he  darkness,  and  not  light,  Amos  v.  18. 

From  whence  it  appears,  that  though  many  receive  not 
the  light,  as  many  comprehend  it  not,  nevertheless  this 
saving  light  shines  in  all,  that  it  may  save  them.  Con- 
cerning whi(  h  also  Cyrillus  Alexandrinus  saith  well,  and 


160 


PROPOSITIONS  V.   AND  VI. 


Cyrillue 
Alexandii- 
nus  upon 
John,  lib.  t. 
chap.  11. 


The  Bon 
enlightens, 
but  man 
through 
negligence 
juries  illu- 
mination. 


defends  our  principle :  "  With  great  diligence  and  watcb 
fulness,"  sailh  he,  '<  doth  the  apostle  John  endeavour  tc 
anticipate  and  prevent  the  vain  thoughts  of  men  :  for  there 
is  here  a  wonderful  method  of  sublime  things,  and  over- 
turning of  objections.  He  had  just  now  called  the  Son 
the  true  light,  by  whom  he  affirmed  that  every  man  coming 
into  the  world  was  enlightened  ;  yea,  that  he  was  in  the 
world,  and  the  world  was  made  by  him.  One  may  then, 
object,  If  the  word  of  God  be  the  light,  and  if  this  light 
enlighten  the  hearts  of  men,  and  suggest  unto  men  piety 
and  the  understanding  of  things ;  if  he  was  always  in  the 
world,  and  was  the  creator  or  builder  of  the  world,  why 
was  he  so  long  unknown  unto  the  world .''  It  seems  rather 
to  follow  because  he  was  unknown  to  the  world,  therefore 
the  world  was  not  enlightened  by  him,  nor  he  totally  light. 
Lest  any  should  so  object,  he  divinely  infers,  and  the  world 
knew  him  not.  Let  not  the  world,"  saith  he,  '•'  accuse 
the  word  of  God,  and  his  eternal  light,  but  its  own  weak- 
ness ;  for  the  son  enlightens,  but  the  creature  rejects  the 
grace  that  is  given  unto  it,  and  abuseth  the  sharpness  of 
understanding  granted  it,  by  which  it  might  have  naturally 
known  God  ;  and,  as  a  prodigal,  hath  turned  its  sight  to  the 
creatures,  neglecting  to  go  forward,  and  through  laziness 
and  negligence  buried  the  illumination,  and  despised  this 
grace.  Which  that  the  disciple  of  Paul  might  not  do,  he  was 
commanded  to  watch  ;  therefore  it  is  to  be  imputed  to  their 
wickedness,  who  are  illuminated,  and  not  unto  the  light. 
For  as  albeit  the  sun  riseth  upon  all,  yet  he  that  is  blind 
receiveth  no  benefit  thereby  ;  none  thence  can  justly  accuse 
the  brightness  of  the  sun,  but  will  ascribe  the  cause  of  not 
seeing  to  the  blindness ;  so  I  judge  it  is  to  be  understood 
of  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God :  for  he  is  the  true  light, 
and  sendeth  forth  his  brightness  upon  all  ;  but  the  god  of 
this  world,  as  Paul  saith,  hath  blinded  the  minds  of  those 
that  believe  not,  2  Cor.  iv.  4,  that  the  light  of  the  gospel 
shine  not  unto  them.  We  say  then  that  darkness  is  rome 
upon  men,  not  because  they  are  altogether  deprived  of 
light,  for  nature  retaineth  still  the  strength  of  understand- 


OF  UNIVERSAL  AND  SAVING  LIGHT. 


161 


ing  divinely  given  it,  but  because  man  is  dulled  by  an  evil 
habit,  and  become  worse,  and  bath  made  the  measure  of 
grace  in  some  respect  to  languish.  When  therefore  the 
like  befalls  man,  the  Psalmist  justly  prays,  crying,  '  Open 
miriC  eyes,  that  I  may  behold  the  wonderful  things  of  thy 
law.'  For  the  law  was  given  that  this  light  might  be  kindled 
in  us,  the  blearedness  of  the  eyes  of  our  minds  being  wiped 
away,  and  the  blindness  being  removed  which  detained  us 
in  our  former  ignorance.  By  these  words  then  the  world 
is  accused  as  ungrateful  and  insensible,  not  knowing  its 
author,  nor  bringing  forth  the  good  fruit  of  the  illumination  ; 
that  it  may  now  seem  to  be  said  truly  of  all,  which  was  of 
old  said  by  the  prophet  of  the  Jews,  I  expected  that  it 
should  have  brought  forth  grapes,  but  it  brought  forth  wild 
grapes.  For  the  good  fruit  of  the  illumination  was  the 
knowledge  of  the  only  Begotten,  as  a  cluster  hanging  from 
a  fruitful  branch,"  &c. 

From  which  it  appears  Cyrillus  believed  that  a  saving  Gnce  no 
illumination  was  given  unto  all.  For  as  to  what  he  speaks  8'^ 
of  nature,  he  understands  it  not  of  the  common  nature  of 
man  by  itself,  but  of  that  nature  which  hath  the  strength 
of  understanding  divinely  given  it:  for  he  understands  this 
universal  illumination  to  be  of  the  same  kind  with  that  grace 
of  which  Paul  makes  mention  to  Timothy,  saying,  "  Neg- 
iect  not  the  grace  that  is  in  thee."  Now  it  is  not  to  be 
believed  that  Cyrillus  was  so  ignorant  as  to  judge  that  grace 
to  have  been  some  natural  gift. 

§  XXII.  That  this  saving  light  and  seed,  or  a  measure  Proof  II 
of  it,  is  given  to  all,  Christ  tells  us  expressly  in  the  parable 
of  the  sower.  Mat.  xiii.  from  ver.  18  ;  Mark  iv.,  and  Luke  Thesed* 
viii.  11,  he  saith.  That  this  seed  sown  in  those  several  sorts  jom'lsso'wT 
of  grounds  is  the  word  of  the  kingdom,  which  the  apostle  ^^^^^J^f'^ 
calls  the  word  of  faith,  Rom.  x.  8,  James  i.  21,  o'  Ao^os  grounds 
^fA(pu7og,  the  '<  implanted  ingrafted  word,  which  is  able  to  jig,^°ct\on. 
save  the  soul ;"  the  words  themselves  declare  that  it  is  that 
which  is  saving  in  the  nature  of  it,  for  in  the  good  ground 
it  fructified  abundantly. 

Let  us  then  observe,  that  this  seed  of  the  kingdom,  this 
14*  V 


162 


PROPOSITIONS  V.    AND  VI. 


saving,  supernatural,  and  sufficient  word,  was  really  sown 
in  the  stony  thorny  ground,  and  by  the  wayside,  where  it 
did  not  profit,  but  became  useless  as  to  these  grounds :  it 
was,  I  say,  the  same  seed  that  was  sown  in  the  good  ground. 
It  is  then  the  fiear  of  persecution  and  deceitfulness  of 
riches,  as  Christ  himself  interpreteth  the  parable,  which 
hindereth  this  seed  to  grow  in  the  hearts  of  many :  not 
but  that  in  its  own  nature  it  is  sufficient,  being  the 
same  with  that  which  groweth  up  and  prospereth  in  the 
hearts  of  those  who  receive  it.  So  that  though  all  are  not 
saved  by  it,  yet  there  is  a  seed  of  salvation  planted  and 
sown  in  the  hearts  of  all  by  God,  which  would  grow  up 
and  redeem  the  soul,  if  it  were  not  choked  and  hindered. 
Concerning  this  parable  Victor  Antiochenus  on  Mark  iv., 
as  he  is  cited  by  Vossius,  in  his  Pelagian  History,  book  vii., 
saith,  "  That  our  Lord  Christ  hath  liberally  sown  the  divine 
seed  of  the  word,  and  proposed  it  to  all,  without  respect 
of  persons ;  and  as  he  that  soweth  distinguisheth  not  be- 
twixt ground  and  ground,  but  simply  casteth  in  the  seed 
without  distinction,  so  our  Saviour  hath  offered  the  food 
of  the  divine  word  so  far  as  was  his  part,  although  he  was 
not  ignorant  what  would  become  of  many.  Lastly,  He  so 
behaved  himself,  as  he  might  justly  say.  What  should  I 
have  done  that  I  have  not  done And  to  this  answered 
the  parable  of  the  talents,  Mat.  xxv.,  he  that  had  two  ta- 
lents was  accepted,  as  well  as  he  that  had  five,  because  he 
used  them  to  his  master's  profit :  and  he  that  had  one 
might  have  done  so  ;  his  talent  was  of  the  same  nature  of 
the  rest ;  it  was  as  capable  to  have  proportionably  brought 
forth  its  interest  as  the  rest.  And  so  though  there  be  not 
a  like  proportion  of  grace  given  to  all,  to  some  five  talents, 
to  some  two  talents,  and  to  some  but  one  talent ;  yet  there 
is  given  to  all  that  which  is  sufficient,  and  no  more  is  re- 
quired than  according  to  that  v;hich  is  given  :  "  For  unto 
whomsoever  much  is  given,  from  him  shall  much  be  re- 
quired," Luke  xii.  48.  He  that  had  the  two  talents  was 
accepted  for  giving  four,  nothing  less  than  he  that  gave  the 
ten :  so  should  he  also  that  gave  the  one,  if  he  had  given 


OF  UMVI.RSAL  AND   SAVING  LK.HT. 


two ;  and  no  doubt  one  was  capable  to  have  produced 
two,  as  well  as  five  to  have  produced  ten,  or  two  four. 

§  XXIII.  Thirdly,  This  saving  spiritual  light  is  the  gos-  Prjof  IH. 
pel,  which  the  apostle  saith  expressly  is  preached  "  in  every  The  light  u 
creature  under  heaven  ;"  even  that  very  "gospel  whereof  'hgp°^''g*/' 
Pau  was  made  a  minister,"  Col.  i.  23.    For  the  gospel  is  of  God 

,     ,       .  -  11-         1    •        1  preached  ii 

not  a  mt're  declaration  of  good  thmgs,  being  the  "  power  every  crea 
of  God  unto  salvation  to  all  those  that  believe,"  Rom.  i.  16.  [.'^'^f^^","*'*' 
Though  the  outward  declaration  of  the  gospel  be  taken 
sometimes  for  the  gospel ;  yet  it  is  but  figuratively,  and  by 
a  metonymy.  For  to  speak  properly,  the  gospel  is  this  in- 
ward power  and  life  which  preacheth  glad  tidings  in  the 
hearts  of  all  men,  offering  salvation  unto  them,  and  seeking 
to  redeem  them  from  their  iniquities,  and  therefore  it  is 
said  to  be  preached  "  in  every  creature  under  heaven :" 
whereas  there  are  many  thousands  of  men  and  women  to 
whom  the  outward  gospel  was  never  preached.  Therefore 
the  apostle  Paul,  Romans  i.,  where  he  saith  '<  the  gospel 
is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation,"  adds,  that  "therein 
is  revealed  the  righteousness  of  God  from  faith  to  faith  ;" 
and  also  the  "  wrath  of  God  against  such  as  hold  the  truth 
of  God  in  unrighteousness  :"  for  this  reason,  saith  he,  "  be- 
cause that  which  may  be  known  of  God  is  manifest  in  them  ; 
for  God  hath  showed  it  unto  them."  Now  that  which  may 
be  known  of  God,  is  known  by  the  gospel,  which  was 
manifest  in  them.  For  those  of  whom  the  apostle  speaks 
had  no  outward  gospel  preached  unto  them  ;  so  that  it  was 
by  the  inward  manifestation  of  the  knowledge  of  God  in 
them,  which  is  indeed  the  gospel  preached  in  man,  "that 
the  righteousness  of  God  is  revealed  from  faith  to  faith;" 
that  is,  it  reveals  to  the  soul  that  which  is  just,  good,  and 
righteous ;  and  that  as  the  soul  receiveth  it  and  believes, 
rlgiiteousness  comes  more  and  more  to  be  revealed  from 
nil  drgree  of  faith  to  another.  For  though,  as  the  follow- 
ing verse  saith,  the  outward  creation  declares  the  power 
of  God  ;  yet  that  which  may  be  known  of  him  is  manifest 
within  :  by  which  inward  manifestation  we  are  made  capa- 
ble to  scf  ^11(1  discern  the  Eternal  Power  and  Godhead  io 


164 


PROPOSITIONS  V.  AND  VI. 


The  out- 
ward  crea- 
tion may 
bcgei  a  per- 
suasion in 
man  of  an 
eternal 
power  or 
vinue 


the  outward  creation;  so  were  it  not  for  this  inwaid  prin 
ciple,  we  could  no  more  understand  the  invisible  things  of 
God  by  the  outward  visible  creation,  than  a  blind  man  can 
see  and  discern  the  variety  of  shapes  and  colours,  or  judge 
of  the  beauty  of  the  outward  creation.  Therefore  he  saith, 
first,  '<  That  which  may  be  known  of  God  is  manifest  n 
them,"  and  in  and  by  that  they  may  read  and  understand 
the  power  and  Godhead  in  those  things  that  are  outward 
and  visible.  And  though  any  might  pretend  that  the  out- 
ward creation  doth  of  itself,  without  any  supernatural  or 
saving  principle  in  the  heart,  even  declare  to  the  natural 
man  that  there  is  a  God  ;  yet  what  would  such  a  knowledge 
avail,  if  it  did  not  also  communicate  to  me  what  the  will 
of  God  is,  and  how  I  shall  do  that  which  is  acceptable  to 
him  ?  For  the  outward  creation,  though  it  may  beget  a 
persuasion  that  there  is  some  eternal  power  or  virtue  by 
which  the  world  hath  had  its  beginning ;  yet  it  doth  not 
tell  me,  nor  doth  it  inform  me  of  that  which  is  just,  holy, 
and  righteous;  how  I  shall  be  delivered  from  ray  tempta- 
tions and  evil  afTections,  and  come  unto  righteousness  , 
that  must  be  from  some  inward  manifestation  in  my  heart. 
Whereas  those  Gentiles  of  whom  the  apostle  speaks  knew 
by  that  inward  law  and  manifestation  of  the  knowledge  of 
God  in  them  to  distinguish  betwixt  good  and  evil,  as  in 
the  next  chapter  appears,  of  which  we  shall  speak  hereafter. 
The  prophet  Micah,  speaking  of  man  indefinitely,  or  in 
general,  declares  this,  Mic.  vi.  8,  "  He  hath  showed  thee, 
O  man,  what  is  good.  And  what  doth  the  Lord  require 
of  thee,  but  to  do  justly,  and  to  love  mercy,  and  to  walk 
humbly  with  God.'"'  He  doth  not  say  God  requires,  till 
he  hath  first  assured  that  he  hath  showed  unto  tliem.  Now 
because  this  is  showed  unto  all  men,  and  manifest  in  thein, 
therefore,  saith  the  apostle,  is  the  "  wrath  of  God  levealed 
against  them,  for  that  they  hold  the  truth  in  iinri'/hteous- 
ness  ;"  that  is,  the  measure  of  truth,  the  light,  the  seed,  the 
grace  in  them:  for  that  they  hide  the  talent  in  the  earth  , 
that  is,  in  the  earthly  and  unrighteous  part  in  their  hearts, 
and  suffer  it  not  to  bring  forth  fruit,  but  to  be  choked  witb 


OF  UNIVERSAL  AND  SAVING  LIGHT. 


165 


the  stnsual  cares  of  this  life,  the  fear  of  reproach,  and  the 

deceitfulness  of  riches,  as  by  the  parables  above  mentioned 

doth  appear.    But  the  apostle  Paul  opens  and  illustrates 

this  matter  yet  more,  Rom.  x.,  where  he  declares,  "That 

tiie  word  which  he  preached"  (now  the  word  which  he 

prea:hed,  and  the  gospel  which  he  preached,  and  whereof 

he  was  a  minister,  is  one  and  the  same)  "is  not  far  off,  but 

nigh  in  the  heart  and  in  the  mouth  ;"  which  done,  he  frameth 

as  it  were  the  objection  of  our  adversaries  in  the  14th  and 

15th  verses,  "  How  shall  they  believe  in  him  of  whom  they 

have  not  heard  ?    And  how  shall  they  hear  without  a 

preacher?"    This  he  answers  in  the  18th  verse,  saying, 

"  But,  I  say,  have  they  not  heard  .''  Yes,  verily,  their  sound 

went  into  all  the  earth,  and  their  words  unto  the  ends  of 

the  world ;"  insinuating  that  this  divine  preacher  hath  The  divine 

sounded  in  the  ears  and  hearts  of  all  men :  for  of  the  out-  fhe^word 

ward  apostles  that  saying  was  not  true,  neither  then,  nor  "'gh.  hath 
111  r  r  1  1        sounded  in 

many  hundred  years  after  ;  yea,  for  aught  we  know,  there  the  ears  and 

may  be  yet  great  and  spacious  nations  and  kingdoms  that  me,f^°*^*' 
never  have  heard  of  Christ  nor  his  apostles  as  outwardly. 
This  inward  and  powerful  word  of  God  is  yet  more  fully 
described  in  the  epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  chap.  iv.  12,  13: 
"  For  the  word  of  God  is  quick  and  powerful,  and  sharper 
than  any  two-edged  sword,  piercing  even  to  the  dividing 
asunder  of  soul  and  spirit,  and  of  the  joints  and  marrow, 
and  is  a  di.scerner  of  the  thoughts  and  intents  of  the  heart." 
The  virtues  of  this  spiritual  word  are  here  enumerated :  it 
is  quick,  because  it  searches  and  tries  the  hearts  of  all ;  no 
man's  heart  is  exempt  from  it:  for  the  apostle  gives  this 
reason  of  its  being  so  in  the  following  verse :  "  But  all  Before 
things  are  naked  and  opened  unto  the  eyes  of  him  with|hin^ar« 
whom  we  have  to  do  :  and  there  is  not  any  creature  that  is  """i'*^*'- 
not  manifest  in  his  sight."  Though  this  ultimately  and  me- 
diately be  referred  to  God,  yet  nearly  and  immediately  it 
relates  to  the  word  or  light,  which,  as  hath  been  before 
proved,  is  in  the  hearts  of  all,  else  it  had  been  improper  to 
have  brought  it  in  here.    The  apostle  shows  how  "  every 
intent  and  thought  of  the  heart  is  discerned  by  the  word  of 


166 


PROPOSITIONS  V.  AND  VI. 


An'  «  ery 
thoiipht 
and  Il.tent 
of  t)  ? 
hep  , 


1  le  faith  • 
.  witness. 


A  leader 
ar.d  com- 
mander. 


A  two-edg- 
ed sword. 


A  fire  and 
a  hammer. 


Clem  Alex, 


God,"  because  all  things  are  naked  before  God  j  Arhich 
imports  nothing  else  but  it  is  in  and  by  this  word  wlierebj 
God  sees  and  discerns  man's  thoughts ;  and  so  it  must 
needs  be  in  all  men,  because  the  apostle  saith,  <<  there  is 
no  creature  that  is  not  manifest  in  his  sight."  This  then  is 
that  faithful  witness  and  messenger  of  God  that  bears  wit- 
ness for  God,  and  for  his  righteousness  in  the  hearts  of  all 
men :  for  he  hath  not  left  man  without  a  witness,  Acts 
xiv.  17,  and  he  is  said  to  be  "  given  for  a  witness  to  the 
people,"  Isa.  Iv.  4.  And  as  this  word  beareth  witness  for 
God,  so  it  is  not  placed  in  men  only  to  condemn  them: 
for  as  he  is  given  for  a  "  witness,"  so  saith  the  prophet, 
he  is  given  for  a  leader  and  commander.  The  light  is 
given,  that  all  through  it  may  believe,  John  i.  7,  "  for 
faith  cometh  by  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  word  of  God," 
which  is  placed  in  man's  heart,  both  to  be  a  witness  for 
God,  and  to  be  a  means  to  bring  man  to  God  through  faith 
and  repentance :  it  is  therefore  powerful,  that  it  may  divide 
betwixt  the  soul  and  the  spirit :  it  is  like  a  two-edged 
sword,  that  it  may  cut  off  iniquity  from  him,  and  separate 
betwixt  the  precious  and  the  vile ;  and  because  man's  heart 
is  cold  and  hard  like  iron  naturally,  therefore  hath  God 
placed  this  word  in  him,  which  is  said  to  be  like  a  fire,  and 
like  a  hammer,  Jer.  xxiii.  29,  that  like  as  by  the  heat  of 
the  fire  the  iron,  of  its  own  nature  cold,  is  warmed,  and 
softened,  and  by  the  strength  of  the  hammer  is  framed  ac- 
cording to  the  mind  of  the  worker ;  so  the  cold  and  hard 
heart  of  man  is  by  the  virtue  and  powerfulness  of  this  word 
of  God  near  and  in  the  heart,  as  it  resists  not,  warmed  and 
softened,  and  receiveth  a  heavenly  and  celestial  impression 
and  image.  The  most  part  of  the  fathers  have  spoken  at 
large  touching  this  word,  seed,  light,  and  saving  voice  :  dl- 
ing  all  unto  salvation,  and  able  to  save. 

Clemens  Alexandrinus  saith,  lib.  2,  Stromal.,  '<  Thrf 
divine  wore,  hath  cried,  calling  all,  knowing  well  those  that 
will  not  obey  ;  and  yet,  because  it  is  in  our  power  either 
to  obey  or  not  to  obey,  that  none  may  have  a  pretext  of 
Ignorance,  it  bath  made  a  righteous  call,  and  requireth  but 


OF  UNIVERSAL  AND  SAVING  LIGHT. 


167 


Jiat  which  is  according  to  the  ability  and  strength  of  every 
one."  The  selfsame,  in  his  warning  to  the  Gentiles : 
*'  For  LS,"  saith  he,  "  that  heavenly  ambassador  of  the 
Lord,  'the  grace  of  God,  that  brings  salvation,  hath  ap- 
peared unto  all,'  &c.  This  is  the  new  song,  coming  and 
manifestation  of  the  word,  which  now  shows  itself  in  us, 
which  was  in  the  beginning,  and  was  first  of  all."  And 
again,  <'  Hear,  therefore,  ye  that  are  afar  off;  hear,  ye  who 
are  near ;  the  word  is  hid  from  none,  the  light  is  common 
to  all,  and  shineth  to  all.  There  is  no  darkness  in  the 
word  ;  let  us  hasten  to  salvation,  to  the  new  birth,  that  we  Thegath«r 
being  many,  may  be  gathered  into  the  one  alone  love."  one^JJld'  ' 
Ibid,  he  saith,  "  That  there  is  infused  into  all,  but  princi-  "'""^ 
pally  into  those  that  are  trained  up  in  doctrine,  a  certain 
divine  influence,  Trg  (Wop^oia  Sei'a."  And  again  he  speaks 
concerning  the  innate  witness,  <'  worthy  of  belief,  which 
of  itself  doth  plainly  choose  that  which  is  most  honest." 
And  again  he  saith,  "  That  it  is  not  impossible  to  come 
unto  the  truth,  and  lay  hold  of  it,  seeing  it  is  most  near  to 
us,  in  our  own  houses,  as  the  most  wise  Moses  declareth, 
living  in  three  parts  of  \\s,  viz.  in  our  hands,  in  our  mouth, 
and  in  our  heart.  This,"  saith  he,  "  is  a  most  tri,ie  badge 
of  the  truth,  which  is  also  fulfilled  in  three  things,  namely, 
in  counsel,  in  action,  in  speaking."  And  again  he  saith 
also  unto  the  unbelieving  nations,  "  Receive  Christ,  receive 
light,  receive  sight,  to  the  end  thou  mayest  rightly  know 
both  God  and  man.  Tlie  word  that  hath  enlightened  us  The  en 
is  more  pleasant  than  gold,  and  the  stone  of  great  value."  word*"""* 
And  again  he  saith,  <■'  Let  us  receive  the  light,  that  we  may 
receive  God ;  lei  us  receive  the  light,  that  we  may  be  the 
scholars  of  the  Lord."  And  again  he  saith  to  those  infidel 
nations,  <<  The  heavenly  Spirit  helpeth  thee ;  resist  and 
flee  pleasure."  Again,  lib.  5,  Strom.,  he  saith,  "  God  forbid 
that  man  be  not  a  partaker  of  divine  acquaintance,  %iia( 
ivvoi'af,  who  in  Genesis  is  said  to  be  a  partaker  of  inspira- 
tion." And  Paid.  lib.  1,  cap.  3,  "There  is,"  saith  he, 
•<  some  lovely  and  some  desirable  thing  in  man,  which  is 
called  the  in-breathing  of  God,  i/A^urfijfAa  0«S."    The  same 


168 


PROPOSITIONS  V.  AND  VI. 


man,  lib.  10,  Strom.,  directeth  men  unto  the  light  and 
water  in  themselves,  who  have  the  eye  of  the  soul  darkened 
or  dimmed  through  evil  education  and  learning :  let  them 
enter  in  unto  their  own  domestic  light,  or  unto  the  light 
which  is  in  their  own  house,  irfog  to  oiksiov  (pug  /SaiJi^^Tw,  unto 
the  truth,  which  manifests  accurately  and  clearly  these 
things  that  have  been  written, 
i.  Martyr.  Justin  Martyr,  in  his  first  Apology,  saith,  '<  That  the 
word  which  was  and  is,  is  in  all ;  even  that  very  same 
word  which,  through  the  prophets,  foretold  things  to 
come." 

Aath.de  The  writer  of  the  Calling  of  the  Gentiles,  saith,  lib.  1, 
Voc.  Gent,  ^^p^  2^  u  We  believe  according  to  the  same,  viz.  scripture, 
and  most  religiously  confess,  that  God  was  never  wanting 
in  care  to  the  generality  of  men  ;  who  although  he  did  lead 
by  particular  lessons  a  people  gathered  to  himself  unto 
godliness,  yet  he  withdrew  from  no  nation  of  men  the 
gifts  of  his  own  goodness,  that  they  might  be  convinced 
that  they  had  received  the  words  of  the  prophets,  and  legal 
commands  in  services  and  testimonies  of  the  first  prin- 
ciples." Cap.  7,  he  saith,  "  That  he  believes  that  the 
help  of  grace  hath  been  wholly  withdrawn  from  no  man." 
Lib.  2,  cap.  1,  "Because,  albeit  salvation  is  far  from  sin- 
ners, yet  there  is  nothing  void  of  the  presence  and  virtue 
of  his  salvation."  Cap.  2,  "  But  seeing  none  of  that  people 
over  whom  was  set  both  the  doctrines,  were  justified  but 
through  grace  by  the  spirit  of  faith,  who  can  question  but 
that  they,  who  of  whatsoever  nation,  in  whatsoever  times, 
could  please  God,  were  ordered  by  the  Spirit  of  the  grac^ 
of  God,  which  although  in  fore-time  it  was  more  sparing 
and  hid,  yet  denied  itself  to  no  ages,  being  in  virtue  one, 
in  quantity  different,  in  counsel  unchangeable,  in  operation 
multifarious." 

pR(T  III.  §  XXIV.  The  third  proposition  which  ought  to  be 
Proved.  proved  is.  That  it  is  by  this  light,  seed,  or  grace  that  God 
^*tfon  works  the  salvation  of  all  men,  and  many  come  to  partake 
tVeTight  i'n  benefit  of  Christ's  death,  and  salvation  purchased  by 

til.  him.    By  the  inward  and  effectual  operations  of  which,  as 


OF  UNIVERSAL  AND  SAVING  LIGHT. 


169 


many  heathen  have  come  to  be  partakers  of  the  nrornisfs 
who  were  not  of  the  seed  of  Abraham  after  the  flesh,  so 
may  some  now,  to  whom  God  hath  rendered  the  know- 
ledge of  the  history  impossible,  come  to  be  saved  by 
Christ.  Having  already  proved  that  Christ  hath  died  for 
nil,  that  there  is  a  day  of  visitation  given  to  all,  during 
^hich  salvation  is  possible  to  them,  and  that  God  hath 
ictually  given  a  measure  of  saving  grace  and  light  unto  all, 
preached  the  gospel  to  and  in  them,  and  placed  the  word 
of  faith  in  their  hearts,  the  matter  of  this  proposition  may 
seem  to  be  proved.  Yet  shall  I  a  little,  for  the  farther  satis- 
faction of  all  who  desire  to  know  the  truth,  and  hold  it  as 
it  is  in  Jesus,  prove  this  from  two  or  three  clear  scripture 
testimonies,  and  remove  the  most  common  as  well  as  the 
more  strong  objections  usually  brought  against  it. 

Our  theme  then  hath  two  parts  ;  First,  That  those  that  i  Pari, 
have  the  gospel  and  Christ  outwardly  preached  unto  them, 
are  not  saved  but  by  the  working  of  the  grace  and  light  in 
their  hearts. 

Secondly,  That  by  the  working  and  operation  of  this,  2  Tan. 
many  have  been,  and  some  may  be  saved,  to  whom  the 
gospel  hath  never  been  outwardly  preached,  and  who  are 
utterly  ignorant  of  the  outward  history  of  Christ. 

As  to  the  first,  though  it  be  granted  by  most,  yet  because  1  Pan 
it  is  more  in  words  than  deeds,  the  more  full  discussing  of  p"""*^'*- 
which  will  occur  in  the  next  proposition  concerning  justi 
fication,  I  shall  prove  it  in  few  words.    And  first  from  the 
words  of  Christ  to  Nicodemus,  John  iii.  3,  "  Verily,  verily 
I  say  unto  thee,  except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot 
see  the  kingdom  of  God."    Now  this  birth  cometh  not  by  The  new 
the  outward  preaching  of  the  e:ospel,  or  knowledtre  of  '"^'hor  re 

'  ...  general  ion 

Christ,  or  historical  faith  in  him;  seeing  many  have  that,  Cometh  not 
and  firmly  believe  it,  who  are  never  thus  renewed.    The  w^ar'd  know 
apostle  Paul  also  goes  so  far,  while  he  commends  the  ne-  |jl|f,g°.'^ 
cessity  and  excellency  of  this  new  creation,  as  in  a  certain 
respect  to  lay  aside  the  outward  knowledge  of  Christ,  or 
the  knowledge  of  him  after  the  flesii,  in  these  words,  2  Cor. 
V.  16,  17,  <'  Wherefore  henceforth  know  we  110  man  after 
15  w 


170 


PROPOSITIONS  V.   AND  VI. 


the  flesh  ;  yea,  though  we  have  known  Christ  aftei  the 
flesh,  yet  now  henceforth  know  we  him  no  more.  There- 
fore if  any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature ;  old 
things  are  passed  away,  behold  all  things  are  become 
new."  Whence  it  manifestly  appears,  that  he  makes  the 
knowledge  of  Christ  after  the  flesh  but  as  it  were  the  rudi- 
ments which  young  children  learn,  which  after  they  are 
become  better  scholars,  are  of  less  use  to  them,  because 
they  have  and  possess  the  very  substance  of  those  first  pre- 
cepts in  their  minds.  As  all  comparisons  halt  in  some 
part,  so  shall  I  not  affirm  this  to  hold  in  every  respect ;  yet 
so  far  will  this  hold,  that  as  those  that  go  no  farther  than 
the  rudiments  are  never  to  be  accounted  learned,  and  as 
they  grow  beyond  these  things,  so  they  have  less  use  of 
them,  even  so  such  as  go  no  farther  than  the  outward 
knowledge  of  Christ  shall  never  inherit  the  kingdom  of 
heaven.  But  such  as  come  to  know  this  new  birth,  to  be 
in  Christ  indeed,  to  be  a  new  creature,  to  have  '<  old  things 
passed  away,  and  all  things  become  new,"  may  safely  say 
with  the  apostle,  "  Though  we  have  known  Christ  after  the 
bii  bf  me  flesh,  yet  now  henceforth  know  we  him  no  more."  Now 
Tght^and  ^'^'^  "^^^  creature  proceeds  from  the  work  of  this  light  and 
^Irt  ^  grace  in  the  heart :  it  is  that  word  which  we  speak  of,  that 
is  sharp  and  piercing,  that  implanted  word,  able  to  save 
the  soul,  by  which  this  birth  is  begotten ;  and  therefore 
Christ  has  purchased  unto  us  this  holy  seed,  that  thereby 
this  birth  might  be  brought  forth  in  us,  which  is  therefore 
also  called  "the  manifestation  of  the  Spirit,  given  to  every 
one  to  profit  withal ;"  for  it  is  written,  that  "  by  one  Spirit 
we  are  all  baptized  into  one  body."  And  the  apostle  Peter 
also  ascribeth  this  birth  to  the  seed  and  word  of  God, 
which  we  have  so  much  declared  of,  saying,  1  Pet.  i.  23, 
"  Being  born  again,  not  of  corruptible  seed,  but  of  incor- 
ruptible, by  the  word  of  God,  which  liveth  and  abideth  for 
ever."  Though  then  this  seed  be  small  in  its  appearance, 
so  that  Christ  compares  it  to  a  "grain  of  mustard-seed, 
which  is  the  least  of  all  seeds,"  Matth.  xiii.  31,  32,  and 
that  it  be  hid  in  the  earthly  i)art  of  man's  heart ;  yet  therein 


OF  UNIVERSAL  AND  SAVING  LIGHT. 


171 


rs  life  and  salvation  towards  the  sons  of  men  wrapped  up, 
which  comes  to  be  revealed  as  they  give  way  to  it.  And 
■n  this  seed  in  the  hearts  of  all  men  is  the  kingdom  of  God,  The  kit^ 
"IS  in  a  capacity  to  be  produced,  or  rather  exhibited,  ac-  \s  in  the 
cording  as  it  receives  depth,  is  nourished,  and  not  choked  :  ^e^iLVui 
hence  Christ  saith,  that  the  kingdom  of  God  was  in  the  men. 
▼ery  Pharisees,  Luke  xvii.  20,  21,  who  did  oppose  and 
resist  him,  and  were  justly  accounted  as  serpents,  and  a 
generation  of  vipers.  Now  the  kingdom  of  God  could  be 
no  otherways  in  them  than  in  a  seed,  even  as  the  thirty- 
fold  and  the  hundred-fold  is  wrapt  up  in  a  small  seed,  lying 
in  a  barren  ground,  which  springs  not  forth  because  it 
wants  nourishment :  and  as  the  whole  body  of  a  great  tree 
is  wrapped  up  potentially  in  the  seed  of  the  tree,  and  so  is 
brought  forth  in  due  season ;  and  as  the  capacity  of  a  man 
or  woman  is  not  only  in  a  child,  but  even  in  the  very  em- 
bryo, even  so  the  kingdom  of  Jesus  Christ,  yea  Jesus 
Christ  himself,  Christ  within,  who  is  the  hope  of  glory,  and 
becometh  wisdom,  righteousness,  sanctification  and  re- 
demption, is  in  every  man's  and  woman's  heart,  in  that 
little  incorruptible  seed,  ready  to  be  brought  forth,  as  it  is 
cherished  and  received  in  the  love  of  it.  For  there  can  be 
no  men  worse  than  those  rebellious  and  unbelieving  Pha- 
risees were;  and  yet  this  kingdom  was  thus  within  them, 
and  they  were  directed  to  look  for  it  there :  so  it  is  neither 
lo  here,  nor  lo  there,  in  this  or  the  other  observation,  that 
this  is  known,  but  as  this  seed  of  God  in  the  heart  is 
minded  and  entertained.  And  certainly  hence  it  is,  even 
because  this  light,  seed,  and  grace  that  appears  in  the  heart 
cf  man  is  so  little  regarded,  and  so  much  overlooked,  that 
so  few  know  Christ  brought  forth  in  them.  The  one  sort,  Calvinms, 
to  wit,  the  Calvinists,  they  look  upon  grace  as  an  irresist-  Armmans 
ible  power,  and  therefore  neglect  and  despise  this  eternal  Socmi 

1    r   1      1  •  •     1    •    1  1        •       rf  •  errors 

seed  of  the  kmgdom  m  their  hearts,  as  a  low,  msufficient,  denying  th« 

useless  thing  as  to  their  salvation.    On  the  other  hand,  the  ,'fvVng° 

Papists,  Arminians,  and  Socinians,  they  go  about  to  set 

up  their  natural  power  and  will  with  one  consent,  denying 

that  this  little  seed,  this  small  appearance  of  the  light,  is 


172 


PROPOSITIONS  V.   AND  VI. 


that  supernatural  saving  grace  of  God  given  to  ev(  ry  nia5 
to  save  hiin.  And  so  upon  them  is  verified  that  saying  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  "  This  is  the  condemnation  of  the 
world,  that  light  is  come  into  the  world,  but  men  love 
darkness  rather  than  light ;"  the  reason  is  added,  "  because 
their  deeds  are  evil."  All  confess  they  feel  this  ;  but  they 
will  not  have  it  to  be  of  that  virtue.  Some  will  have  it  to 
be  reason  ;  some  a  natural  conscience  ;  some,  certain  relics" 
of  God's  image  that  remained  in  Adam.  So  that  Christ, 
as  he  met  with  opposition  from  all  kinds  of  professors  in 
his  outward  appearance,  doth  now  also  in  his  inward.  It 

The  mean-  was  the  meanness  of  bis  outward  man  that  made  many 

cThrist'^sap-  "J^spise  him,  saying,  "  Is  not  this  the  son  of  the  carpenter.' 

(^ai'ancein  Are  not  his  brethren  and  sisters  among  us.'  Is  not  this  a 
Galilean  }  And  came  there  ever  a  prophet  out  of  Galilee.-"' 
And  such  like  reasonings.  For  they  expected  an  outward 
deliverer,  who  as  a  prince,  should  deliver  them  with  great 
ease  from  their  enemies,  and  not  such  a  Messiah  as  should 
be  crucified  shamefully,  and  as  it  were  lead  them  into 
many  sorrows,  troubles,  and  afflictions.  So  the  meanness 
of  this  appearance  makes  the  crafty  Jesuits,  the  pretended 
rational  Socinians,  and  the  learned  Arrainians  overlook  it ; 
desiring  rather  something  that  they  might  exercise  their 
subtilty,  reason,  and  learning  about,  and  use  the  liberty  of 
their  own  wills.  And  the  secure  Calvinists,  they  would 
have  a  Christ  to  save  tliem  without  any  trouble  ;  to  destroy 
all  their  enemies  for  them  without  them,  and  nothing  or 
little  within,  and  in  the  mean  while  to  be  at  ease  to  live  in 
their  sins  secure.  Whence,  when  all  is  well  examined,  the 

The  nature  cause  is  plain  ;  it  is  '<  because  their  deeds  are  evil,"  tha. 

>r  the  light,  ^^j^l^  one  consent  they  reject  this  light:  for  it  checks  the 
wisest  of  them  all,  and  the  learnedest  of  them  all  in  secret , 
it  reproves  them  ;  neither  can  all  their  logic  silence  it,  nor 
can  the  securest  among  them  stop  its  voice  from  crying, 
and  reproving  them  within,  for  all  their  confidence  in  the 
outward  knowledge  of  Christ,  or  of  what  he  hath  sufTtred 
outwardly  for  them.  For,  as  hath  been  often  said,  "in  a 
day  it  strives  with  all,  wrestles  with  all ;"  and  it  is  the  un- 


OK  UNIVERSAL  AND  SA\  .NG  LIGHT. 


17J 


mortified  nature,  the  first  nature,  the  old  Adam,  yet  alive 
in  the  wisest,  in  the  learnedest,  in  the  most  zealous  for  the 
outward  knowledge  of  Christ,  that  denies  tliis,  that  despises 
It,  that  shuts  it  out,  to  their  own  condemnation.  They 
come  all  under  this  description,  "  Every  one  that  doth  eviJ, 
hateth  the  light,  neither  cometh  to  the  light,  lest  his  deeds 
should  be  reproved,"  John  iii.  20.  So  that  it  may  be  said 
now,  and  we  can  say  from  a  irue  and  certain  experience, 
as  it  was  of  old,  Psalm  cxviii.  22;  Mat.  xxi.  42;  Mark 
xii.  10;  Luke  xx.  17;  Acts  iv.  11,  The  stone  which 
the  builders  of  all  kinds  have  rejected,  the  same  is  become 
unto  us  the  head  of  the  corner.  Glory  to  God  for  ever ' 
who  hath  chosen  us  as  first  fruits  to  himself  in  this  di^y, 
wherein  he  is  arisen  to  plead  with  the  nations ;  and  there- 
fore hath  sent  us  forth  to  preach  this  everlasting  gospel  unto 
all,  Christ  nigh  to  all,  the  light  in  all,  the  seed  sown  in  the 
hearts  of  all,  that  men  may  come  and  apply  their  minds  to 
it.  And  we  rejoice  that  we  have  been  made  to  lay  down 
our  wisdom  and  learning,  such  of  us  as  have  had  some  of 
it,  and  our  carnal  reasoning,  to  learn  of  Jesus ;  and  sit 
down  at  the  feet  of  Jesus  in  our  hearts,  and  hear  him,  who 
there  makes  all  things  manifest,  and  reproves  all  things  by 
his  light,  Eph.  V.  13.  For  many  are  wise  and  learned  in  The  wi«« 
the  notion,  in  the  letter  of  the  scripture,  as  the  Pharisees  fnthe  n^^^ 
were,  and  can  speak  much  of  Christ,  and  plead  strongly  J,'on.cruci- 
against  Infidels,  Turks,  and  Jews,  and  it  may  be  also  Christ, 
against  some  heresies,  who,  in  the  mean  time,  are  cruci- 
fying Christ  in  the  small  appearance  of  his  seed  in  their 
hearts.  Oh !  better  were  it  to  be  .stripped  and  naked  of 
all,  to  account  it  as  dross  and  dung,  and  become  a  fool 
for  Christ's  sake,  thus  knowing  him  to  teach  thee  in  thy 
he.irt,  so  as  thou  mayest  witness  him  raised  there,  feel  the 
virtue  of  his  cross  there,  and  say  with  the  apostle,  "I  glory 
in  nothing,  save  in  the  cross  of  Christ,  whereby  I  am  cru- 
t'fied  to  the  world,  and  the  world  unto  me."  This  is  bet- 
ter than  tc  write  thousands  of  commentaries,  and  to  preach 
many  sermons.  And  it  is  thus  to  preach  Christ,  and  direct 
people  to  his  pure  light  in  the  heart,  that  God  hath  raised 
16  • 


PROPOSITIONS  V.   AND  VI. 


None  are  US  up,  and  for  which  the  wise  men  of  this  world  accouut 
lurknow-  fools;  because  by  the  operation  cf  this  cross  of  Christ 
Imfo^ry'^bm  ''^^''tSj  ^e  have  denied  our  own  wisdom  and  wills 

by  the  in  many  things,  and  have  forsaken  the  vain  worships. 
onhe"l'ight  f^iishions,  and  customs  of  this  world.   For  these  divers  cen- 

ol  Christ  in  turies  the  world  hath  been  full  of  a  dry,  fruitless,  and 
the  mys-  J '  ' 

tery.         barren  knowledge  of  Christ,  feeding  upon  the  husk,  and 

neglecting  the  kernel ;  following  after  the  shadow,  oui 
strangers  to  the  substance.  Hence  the  devil  matters  not 
how  much  of  that  knowledge  abounds,  provided  he  can 
but  possess  the  heart,  and  rule  in  the  will,  crucify  the  ap- 
pearance of  Christ  there,  and  so  keep  the  seed  of  the  king- 
Conten-  dom  from  taking  root.  For  he  has  led  them  abroad,  K 
out"wa°rd°"  here,  and  lo  there,  and  has  made  them  wrestle  in  a  false 

observa-  ^eal  SO  much  one  arainst  another,  contending:  for  this  out- 
tions  and  .         °  '  °  , 

Loheres.    ward  observation,  and  for  the  other  outward  observation, 

seeking  Christ  in  this  and  the  other  external  thing,  as  in 
bread  and  wine  ;  contending  one  with  another  how  he  is 
there-  while  some  will  have  him  to  be  present  therein  this 
W3^,  nJ  some  the  other  way;  and  some  in  scriptures,  in 
books,  in  societies,  and  pilgrimages,  and  merits.  But 
some,  confiding  in  an  external  barren  faith,  think  all  is 
well,  if  they  do  but  firmly  believe  that  he  died  for  their 
sins  past,  present,  and  to  come  ;  while  in  the  mean  time 
Christ  lies  crucified  and  slain,  and  is  daily  resisted  and 
The  call  of  gainsayed  in  his  appearance  in  their  hearts.  Thus,  from  a 
blimled  Sense  of  this  blindness  and  ignorance  that  is  come  over 
Christen  Christendom,  it  is  that  we  are  led  and  moved  of  the  Lord 
so  constantly  and  frequently  to  call  all,  invite  all,  request 
all,  to  turn  to  the  light  in  them,  to  mind  the  light  in  them, 
to  believe  in  Christ,  as  he  is  in  them :  and  that  in  the 
name,  power,  and  authority  of  the  Lord,  not  ;n  school- 
arguments  and  distinctions,  for  which  many  of  ihe  wise 
men  of  this  world  account  us  fools  and  mad  men,  we  do 
charge  and  command  them  to  lay  aside  their  wisdoiu,  to 
come  down  out  of  that  proud,  airy,  brain-knowledge,  and 
to  stop  that  mouth,  how  eloquent  soever  to  the  worldly 
ear  it  may  appear,  and  to  be  silent,  and  sit  down  as  in  the 


OF  UNIVERSAL  AND  SAVING  LIGHT. 


175 


dus*.,  and  to  mind  tiie  light  of  Christ  in  theii  own  con- 
sciences ;  which,  if  minded,  they  would  find  as  a  sharp 
two-edged  sword  in  their  hearts,  and  as  a  fire  and  a  hammer, 
that  would  knock  against  and  burn  up  all  that  carnal, 
gathered,  natural  stufl',  and  make  the  stoutest  of  them  all 
treuble,  and  become  Quakers  indeed  ;  which  those  that 
come  not  to  feel  now,  and  kiss  not  the  Son  while  the  day 
las'.eth,  but  harden  their  hearts,  will  feel  to  be  a  certain 
truth  when  it  is  too  late.  To  conclude,  as  saith  the  apostle, 
All  ought  to  examine  themselves,  whether  they  be  in  the 
faith  indeed;  and  try  their  ownselves:  for  except  Jesus 
Christ  be  in  them,  they  are  certainly  reprobates.  2  Cor. 
xiii.  5. 

§  XXV.  Secondly,  That  which  remains  now  to  be  proved  2  Pai 
is.  That  by  the  operation  of  this  light  and  seed  some  have  That  many 
been  and  may  yet  be  saved,  to  whom  the  gospel  is  not  out-  ^.Jy^^^^^ 
wardly  preached,  nor  the  history  of  Christ  outwardly  known,  saved,  that 
To  make  this  the  easier,  we  have  already  shown  how  that  theout- 
Christ  hath  died  for  all  men  :  and  consequently  these  are  T'^^^ .  , 
enlightened  by  Christ,  and  have  a  measure  of  saving  light  of  Christ, 
and  grace  ;  yea,  that  the  gospel,  though  not  in  any  out- 
ward dispensation,  is  preached  to  them,  and  in  them:  so 
that  thereby  they  are  stated  in  a  possibility  of  salvation. 
From  which  I  may  thus  argue  : 

To  whom  the  gospel,  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation,  Asa. 
is  manifest,  they  may  be  saved,  whatever  outward  know- 
ledge they  want : 

But  this  gospel  is  preached  in  every  creature ;  in  which 
is  certainly  comprehended  many  that  have  not  the  outward 
knowledge  : 

Therefore  of  those  many  may  be  saved. 

But  to  those  arguments,  by  which  it  hath  been  proved, 
That  all  men  have  a  measure  of  saving  grace,  I  .shall  ad  ' 
one,  and  that  very  observable,  not  yet  mentioned,  viz.,  that 
excellent  saying  of  the  apostle  Paul  to  Titus,  chap,  ii.,  ver. 
11,  "  The  grace  of  God,  that  brings  salvation,  hath  appear- 
ed to  all  men  ;  teaching  us,  that  denying  ungodliness  and 
worldly  lus'.s,  we  should  live  soberly,  righteously,  anc' 


176 


PROPOSITIONS  V.   AND  VI. 


The  saving 
grace  of 
God  teach- 
eih  the 
whole  duty 
of  man. 


The  absur- 
dity of  our 
adversa- 
ries' com- 
ment jpon 
the  word 
alt,  denying 
grace  to  be 
saving, 
Tit.  ii.  2,11. 


godly,  in  this  present  world  :"  than  which  there  can  oe  no 
thing  more  clear,  it  comprehending  both  the  parts  of  the 
controversy.  First,  It  testifies  that  it  is  no  natural  principle 
or  light,  but  saith  plainly,  It  brings  salvation.  Secondly, 
It  says  not,  that  it  hath  appeared  to  a  few,  but  unto  all 
men.  The  fruit  of  it  declares  also  how  efficacious  it  is, 
seeing  it  comprehends  the  whole  duty  of,  man :  it  bcth 
teacheth  us,  first,  to  forsake  evil,  to  deny  ungodliness  and 
worldly  lusts ;  and  then  it  teacheth  us  our  whole  duty. 
First,  to  live  soberly ;  that  comprehends  temperance,  chas- 
tity, meekness,  and  those  things  that  relate  unto  a  man's 
self.  Secondly,  righteously ;  that  comprehends  equity, 
justice,  and  honesty,  and  those  things  which  relate  to  our 
neighbours.  And  lastly,  godly  ;  which  comprehends  piety, 
faithfulness,  and  devotion,  which  are  the  duties  relating  to 
God.  So  then  there  is  nothing  required  of  man,  or  is  need- 
ful to  man,  which  this  grace  teacheth  not.  Yet  I  have  heard 
a  public  preacher  (one  of  those  that  are  accounted  zealous 
men)  to  evite  the  strength  of  this  text,  deny  this  grace  to 
be  saving,  and  say,  It  was  only  intended  of  common  favours 
and  graces,  such  as  is  the  heat  of  the  fire,  and  outward  light 
of  the  sun.  Such  is  the  darkness  and  ignorance  of  those 
that  oppose  the  truth  ;  whereas  the  text  saith  expressly,  that 
it  is  saving.  Others,  that  cannot  deny  but  it  is  saving,  allege. 
This  all  comprehends  not  every  individual,  but  only  all 
kinds :  but  is  a  bare  negation  sufficient  to  overturn  the 
strength  of  a  positive  assertion .''  If  the  scriptures  may  be 
so  abused,  what  so  absurd,  as  may  not  be  pleaded  for  from 
them  ?  or  what  so  manifest,  as  may  not  be  denied .''  But 
we  have  no  reason  to  be  staggered  by  their  denying,  so 
long  as  our  faith  is  found  in  express  terms  of  the  scripture  ; 
they  may  as  well  seek  tn  persuade  us,  that  we  do  not  intend 
li.at  which  we  affirm,  though  we  know  the  contrary,  a^i 
make  us  believe,  that  when  the  apostle  speaks  forth  our 
doctrine  in  plain  words,  yet  he  intends  theirs,  which  ia 
quite  the  contrary.  And  indeed,  can  there  be  any  thing 
more  absurd,  than  to  say,  where  the  word  is  plainly  all, 
few  is  only  intended .''    For  they  will  not  have  all  taken 


OK  UNT'ERSAL  AND  SAVING  LIGHT. 


177 


title  foi  the  greate  number.  Indeed,  as  the  case  may  be 
somttinies,  by  a  figure  all  may  be  taken,  of  two  numbers, 
for  the  greater  number ;  but  let  them  show  us,  if  they  can, 
either  in  scripture,  or  profane  or  ecclesiastical  writings, 
that  any  man  that  wrote  sense  did  ever  use  the  word  all 
to  express,  of  two  numbers,  the  lesser.  Whereas  they 
affirm,  that  the  far  lesser  number  have  received  saving 
grace  ;  and  yet  will  they  have  the  apostle,  by  all,  to  have 
■signified  so.  Though  this  might  suffice,  yet,  to  put  it  fur- 
ther beyond  all  question,  I  shall  instance  another  saying  of 
the  same  apostle,  that  we  may  use  him  as  his  own  com- 
mentator, Rom.  V.  18:  "Therefore  as  by  tue  offence  of 
one,  judgment  came  upon  all  men  to  condemnation,  even 
so  by  the  righteousness  of  one,  the  free  gift  came  upon  all 
men  unto  justification  of  life."  Here  no  man  of  reason, 
except  he  will  be  obstinately  ignorant,  will  deny,  but  this 
similitive  particle  as  makes  the  all  which  goes  before, 
and  comes  after,  to  be  of  one  and  the  same  extent ;  or  else 
•et  them  show  one  example,  either  in  scripture  or  else- 
where, among  men  that  speak  proper  language,  where  it  is 
otherwise.  We  must  then  either  affirm  that  this  loss,  which 
•eads  to  condemnation,  hath  not  come  upon  all ;  or  say, 
that  this  free  gift  is  come  upon  all  by  Christ.  Whence  I 
thus  argue  : 

If  all  men  have  received  a  loss  from  Adam,  which  leads 
to  condemnation ;  then  all  men  have  received  a  gift  from 
Christ,  which  leads  to  justification  : 

But  the  first  is  true  ;  therefore  also  the  last. 

From  all  which  it  naturally  follows,  that  all  men,  even  Even  tbt 
the  heathen,  may  be  saved :  for  Christ  was  given  as  a  niay  be 
"  light  to  enlighten  the  Gentiles,"  Isai.  xlix.  6.  Now,  to  say  ff^g^g^f 
that  though  they  might  have  been  saved,  yet  none  were,  is 
to  judge  too  uncharitably.    I  see  not  what  reason  can  be 
alleged  for  it;  yea,  though  it  were  granted,  which  never 
can  be,  that  none  of  the  heathen  were  saved  ;  it  will  not 
from  thence  follow,  that  they  could  not  have  been  saved  ; 
or  that  none  now  in  their  condition  can  be  saved.  For, 
A  non  esse  ad  non  posse  non  datur  sequela,  i.  e..  That  con- 

X 


FF.OPOSITIONS  V.   AND  VI. 


sequence  is  false,  that  coiicIikJos  a  -hing  cannot  be,  because 
i*  is  n  ji.. 

Object         But  if  it  be  objected,  wliich  is  the  great  objection,  Tha! 

there  is  no  name  under  heaven,  by  which  salvation  » 

known,  but  by  the  name  Jesus  : 

Therefore  they  (not  knowing  this)  cannot  be  saved  : 
A«w.  I  answer ;  Though  they  know  it  not  outwardly,  yet  il 

they  know  it  inwardly,  by  feeling  the  virtue  and  power  of 
The  literal  it,  the  name  Jksus  indeed,  which  signifies  a  Saviour,  to 
of  Chrlsffs  ^^'^^  them  from  sin  and  iniquity  in  their  hearts,  they  are 
not  eaving,  saved  by  it :  I  confess  there  is  no  other  name  to  be  saved 

but  the  real  •'  .  . 

ezpehmen-  by :  but  salvation  lieth  not  in  the  literal,  but  in  the  experi- 
****  mental  knowledge  ;  albeit,  those  that  have  the  literal  know- 

ledge are  not  saved  by  it,  without  this  real  experimental 
knowledge :  yet  those  that  have  the  real  knowledge  may 
be  saved  without  the  external ;  as  by  the  arguments  here- 
after brought  will  more  appear.  For  if  the  outward  distinct 
knowledge  of  him,  by  whose  means  I  receive  benefit,  were 
necessary  for  me  before  I  could  reap  any  fruit  of  it;  then, 
by  the  rule  of  contraries,  it  would  follow,  that  I  could  re- 
ceive no  hurt,  without  I  had  also  the  distinct  knowledge 
of  him  that  occasioned  it ;  whereas  experience  proves  the 
contrary.  How  many  are  injured  by  Adam's  fall,  thai 
know  nothing  of  there  ever  being  such  a  man  in  the  world, 
or  of  his  eating  the  forbidden  fruit?  Why  may  they  not 
then  be  saved  by  the  gift  and  grace  of  Christ  in  them, 
making  them  righteous  and  holy,  though  they  know  not 
distinctly  how  that  was  purchased  unto  them  by  the  death 
and  sufferings  of  Jesus  that  was  crucified  at  Jerusalem  ; 
especially  seeing  God  hath  made  that  knowledge  simply 
impossible  to  them  ?  As  manj  men  are  killed  by  poison 
infused  into  their  meat,  though  they  neither  know  what  the 
poison  was,  nor  who  infused  it ;  so  also  on  the  other  hand, 
how  many  are  cured  of  their  diseases  by  good  remedies, 
who  know  not  how  the  medicine  is  prepared,  what  th« 
ingredients  are,  nor  oftentimes  who  made  it?  The  like 
may  also  hold  in  spiritual  things,  as  we  shall  here  ifter 
prove. 


OF  UNIVERSAL  AND   SAVING  LIGHT. 


179 


&  XXVI.  First,  If  there  were  such  an  absolute  necessity  The  out- 

w  rd  k 

for  this  outward  knowledge,  that  it  were  even  of  the  es-  ledge  mn* 
sentials  of  salvation,  then  none  could  be  saved  without  it :  essential  to 

1-1  i-i  /•         I      salvation : 

whereas  our  adversaries  deny  not,  but  readdy  confess,  that  instance  ui 
many  infants  and  deaf  persons  are  saved  without  it :  so  de^af  per*-"*' 
that  here  they  break  lliat  general  rule,  and  make  salvation  ^o"^ 
possible  without  it.    Neither  can  they  allege,  that  it  is  be- 
cause such  are  free  from  sin  ;  seeing  they  also  affirm,  that 
ill  infants,  because  of  Adam's  sin,  deserve  eternal  condem- 
nation, as  being  really  guilty  in  the  sight  of  God  ;  and  of 
deaf  people,  it  is  not  to  be  doubted,  and  experience  shows 
us,  that  they  are  subject  to  many  common  iniquities,  as  well 
as  other  men. 

If  it  be  said,  That  these  children  are  the  children  of  be-  Obj.  1. 
lieving  parents : 

What  then They  wdl  not  say  that  they  transmit  grace  Answ. 
to  their  children.    Do  they  not  affirm,  that  the  children  of 
believing  parents  are  guilty  of  original  sin,  and  deserve 
death  as  well  as  others  ?    How  prove  they  that  that  makes 
up  the  loss  of  all  explicit  knowledge .'' 

If  they  say.  Deaf  people  may  be  made  sensible  of  the  Obj.  a. 
gospel  by  signs : 

All  the  signs  cannot  give  them  any  explicit  knowledge  Answ. 
of  the  history  of  the  death,  suffi'rings,  and  resurrection  of 
Christ.    For  what  signs  can  inform  a  deaf  man.  That  the 
Son  of  God  took  on  him  man's  nature,  was  born  of  a  vir- 
gin, and  suffered  under  Pontius  Pilate.'' 

And  if  they  should  further  allege.  That  they  are  within  Obj.  3 
the  bosom  of  the  visible  church,  and  partakers  of  the  sa- 
[  raments : 

All  that  gives  no  certainty  of  salvation  ;  for,  as  the  Pro-  Answ 
;es(aiits  confess,  they  confer  not  grace  ex  opere  operalo. 
.And  will  they  not  acknowledge,  that  many  are  in  the  bosom 
of  the  church,  who  are  visibly  no  members  of  it But  if 
this  charity  be  extend(;d  towards  such  who  are  where  the 
gospel  is  preached,  so  that  they  may  be  judged  capable  of 
salvation,  because  they  are  under  a  simple  impossibility  of 
distinctly  knowing  the  means  of  salvation  ;  what  reason 


FROPOSITIONS  V.   AND  VI. 


can  be  alleged  why  the  like  charity  may  not  be  had  to  such. 

as  though  they  can  hear,  yet  are  under  a  simple  imnossibi- 

lity  of  hearing,  because  it  is  not  spoken  unto  them  ?  Is  nol 

A  Chinets  a  mail  in  China,  or  in  India,  as  much  to  be  excused  lor 

eAcusabU!    "o*^  knowing  a  thing  which  he  never  heard  of,  as  a  deaf 

for  not  ,f,3f^  here,  who  cannot  hear?  For  as  the  deaf  man  is  nol 
'mowing 

ihe  histoiy  to  be  blamed,  because  God  hath  been  pleased  to  suffer  him 
M  LhrtstT**  '"^  ''^  under  this  infirmity;  so  is  the  Chinese  or  the  Indian 
as  excusable,  because  God  hath  withheld  from  him  the  op- 
portunity of  hearing.  He  that  cannot  hear  a  thing,  as  being 
necessarily  absent,  and  he  that  cannot  hear  it,  as  being  na- 
turally deaf,  are  to  be  placed  in  the  same  category 
Ajis.  2.  Secondly,  This  manifestly  appears  by  that  saying  of 

Peter,  Acts  x.  34 :  "  Of  a  truth  I  perceive  that  God  is  no 
respecter  of  persons ;  but  in  every  nation,  he  that  feareth 
him,  and  worketh  righteousness,  is  accepted  of  him."  Peter 
was  before  liable  to  that  mistake  that  the  rest  of  the  Jews 
were  in  ;  judging  that  all  were  unclean,  except  themselves, 
and  that  no  man  could  be  saved,  except  they  were  prose- 
lyted to  their  religion  and  circumcised.    But  God  shower 
Peter  othervvays  in  a  vision,  and  taught  him  to  call  nothing 
God  re-      common  or  unclean  ;  and  therefore,  seeing  that  God  re- 
prayer* 'of  g<irded  the  prayers  of  Cornelius,  who  was  a  stranger  to  the 
Cornelius,  law  and  to  Jesus  Christ  as  to  the  outward,  yet  Peter  saw 

stranger  to  /~t    i  i     i  i  i  •  i  i      •        •  i       c       r\  \ 

the  law.  that  God  had  accepted  him  ;  and  he  is  said  to  tear  God 
before  he  had  this  outward  knowledge:  therefore  Peter 
concludes  that  every  one  in  every  nation,  without  respect 
of  persons,  that  feareth  God  and  worketh  righteousness,  is 
accepted  of  him.  So  he  makes  the  fear  of  God  and  the 
working  of  righteousness,  and  not  an  outward  historical 
knowledge,  the  qualification :  they  then  that  have  this 
wherever  they  be,  they  are  saved.  Now  we  have  already 
proved,  that  to  every  man  that  grace  is  given,  whereby  he 
may  live  godly  and  righteously  ;  and  we  see,  that  by  thifi 
grace  Cornelius  did  so  and  was  accepted,  and  his  prayers 
came  up  for  a  memorial  before  God,  before  he  had  this  ou. 
ward  knowledge.  Also,  Was  not  Job  a  perfect  and  up- 
right man,  that  feared  God,  and  eschewed  evil  ?  Who 


OF  UNIVKRSAI.   AND   SAVING  LIGHT. 


181 


tauglit  Job  this  ?   How  knew  Job  Adam's  fall  ?  And  fro.ii 
what  scripture  learned  he  that  excellent  knowledge  he  had,  From  what 
and  that  faith,  by  which  he  knew  his  Redeemer  lived  ?  Job" 
For  inanv  make  him  as  old  as  Moses.    Was  not  this  by  learn  hm 

.  •  1        •  1  excellent 

an  inward  grace  in  the  heart Was  it  not  that  inward  knowledpei 
grace  that  taught  Job  to  eschew  evil,  and  to  fear  God  ? 
And  was  it  not  by  the  workings  thereof  that  he  became  a 
just  and  upright  man  ?    How  doih  he  reprove  the  wicked- 
ness of  men,  chap.  xxiv.  ?    And  after  he  hath  numbered 
up  their  wickedness,  doth  he  not  condemn  them,  verse  1.3, 
for  rebelling  against  this  light,  for  not  knowing  the  way 
thereof,  nor  abiding  in  the  paths  thereof.''    It  appears  then 
Job  believed  that  men  had  a  light,  and  that  because  they 
rebelled  against  it,  therefore  they  knew  not  its  ways,  and 
abode  not  in  its  paths ;  even  as  the  Pharisees,  who  had  the 
scriptures,  are  said  to  err,  not  knowing  the  scriptures.  And 
also  Job's  friends,  though  in  some  things  wrong;  yet  who  Jot)  s 
taught  them  all  those  excellent  sayings  and  knowledge  [helr'^ejioel 
which  they  had Did  not  God  eive  it  them,  in  order  to  !^"'  "V" 
save  them .''  or  was  it  merely  to  condemn  them  .''  Who- 
taught  Elihu,  That  "  the  inspiration  of  the  Almighty  giveth 
understanding ;  that  the  Spirit  of  God  made  him,  and  the 
breath  of  the  Almighty  gave  him  life  ?"    And  did  not  the 
Lord  accept  a  sacrifice  for  them .''    And  who  dare  say  that 
they  are  damned  ?    But  further,  the  apostle  puts  this  con- 
troversy out  of  doubt ;  for,  if  we  may  believe  his  plain 
assertions,  he  tells  us,  Rom.  ii.,  "That  the  heathen  did 
the  things  contained  in  the  law."    From  whence  I  thus 
argu. 

In  every  nation,  he  that  feareth  God,  and  worketh  right-  ^«»» 
eousness,  is  accepted : 

But  many  of  the  heathen  feared  God,  and  wrought 
righteoustiess : 

Therefore  they  were  accepted. 

The  minor  is  proved  from  the  example  of  Cornelius  ;  but 
I  shall  further  prove  it  thus  ; 

He  that  doth  the  things  contained  in  the  law,  feareth 
God,  and  worketh  righteousness  • 
16 


.'82 


PROPOSITIONS   V.    AND  VI. 


But  tlie  heathen  did  the  things  contained  in  '.he  la\s  : 
Therefore  they  feared  God,  and  wrought  righteousness. 
Can  there  be  any  thing  more  clear  ?    For  if  to  do  tht 
things  contained  in  the  law,  be  not  to  fear  God,  and  work 
righteousness,  then  what  can  be  said  to  do  so,  seeing  the 
apostle  calls  the  law  spiritual,  holy,  just,  and  good Bui 
this  appears  manifestly  by  another  medium,  taken  out  of 
the  same  chapter,  verse  13;  so  that  nothing  can  be  more 
clear:  the  words  are,  "The  doers  of  the  law  shall  be  jus- 
tified."   From  which  I  thus  argue,  without  adding  any 
word  of  my  own  ; 
A««.  The  doers  of  the  law  shall  be  justified  : 

But  the  Gentiles  do  the  things  contained  in  the  law  : 
The  Gen-  All,  that  know  but  a  conclusion,  do  easily  see  what  fol 
^ed\oinp  '"^s  from  these  express  words  of  the  apostle.  And  indeed, 
ihe  law  j,g  through  that  whole  chapter  labours,  as  if  he  were  con- 
tending now  with  our  adversaries,  to  confirm  this  doctrine, 
verses  9,  10,  11,  "Tribulation  and  anguish  upon'  every 
soul  of  man  that  doth  evil,  to  the  Jew  first,  and  also  to  the 
Gentile:  for  there  is  no  respect  of  persons  with  God." 
Where  the  apostle  clearly  homologates,  or  confesses  to  the 
sentence  of  Peter  before  mentioned  ;  and  shows  that  Jew 
and  Gentile,  or  as  he  himself  explains  in  the  following 
verses,  both  they  that  have  an  outward  law  and  they  that 
have  none,  when  they  do  good  shall  be  justified.  And  to 
put  us  out  of  all  doubt,  in  the  very  following  verses  he  tells, 
That  "  the  doers  of  the  law  are  justified ;"  and  that  the 
"  Gentiles  did  the  law."  So  that  except  we  think  he  spake 
not  what  he  intended,  we  may  safely  conclude,  that  such 
Gentiles  were  justified,  and  did  partake  of  that  honour, 
glory,  and  peace,  which  comes  upon  every  one  that  doth 
good ;  even  the  Gentiles,  that  are  without  the  law,  when 
they  work  good  ;  seeing  with  God  there  is  no  respect  of 
persons.  So  as  we  see,  that  it  is  not  the  having  the  out- 
ward knowledge  that  doth  save,  without  the  inward ;  so 
neither  doth  the  want  of  it,  to  such  to  whom  God  hath 
made  it  impossible,  who  have  the  inward,  bring  condem- 
nation.   And  many  that  have  wanted  the  outward,  have 


OF  UNIVKRSAL  AND   SAVING  LIGHT. 


183 


nad  a  knowledge  of  this  inwardly,  by  virtue  of  ihat  inward 
grace  and  light  given  to  every  man,  working  in  them,  by 
which  they  forsook  iniquity,  anil  became  just  and  holy,  as 
is  above  proved ;  who,  though  they  knew  not  the  history 
of  Adam's  fall,  yet  were  sensible  in  themselves  of  the  loss  Many 
that  came  by  it,  feeling  their  inclinations  to  sin,  and  the  his"oryf' 
body  of  sin  in  them  :  and  though  they  knew  not  the  coming  ^^"^^f^^^^ 
of  Christ,  yet  were  sensible  of  that  inward  power  and  sal-  loss  by 
vation  which  came  by  him,  even  before  as  well  as  since  ^fvaTi'on"'* 
his  appearance  in  the  flesh.    For  I  question  whether  these  ^^^^^Y 
men  can  prove,  that  all  the  patriarchs  and  fathers  before  them- 
Moses  had  a  distinct  knowledge  either  of  the  one  or  the 
other,  or  that  they  knew  the  history  of  the  tree  of  know- 
ledge of  good  and  evil,  and  of  Adam's  eating  the  forbidden 
fruit ;  far  less  that  Christ  should  be  born  of  a  virgin,  should 
)e  crucified,  and  treated  in  the  manner  he  was.    For  it  is 
justly  to  be  believed,  that  what  Moses  wrote  of  Adam,  and 
of  the  first  times,  was  not  by  tradition,  but  by  revelation  ; 
yea,  we  see  that  not  only  after  the  writing  of  Moses,  but 
even  of  David  and  all  the  prophets,  who  prophesied  so 
much  of  Christ,  how  little  the  Jews,  that  were  expecting  Howlittia 
and  wishing  for  the  Messiah,  could  thereby  discern  him  jj^Ifg^*** 
when  he  came,  that  they  crucified  him  as  a  blasphemer,  Christ, 
not  as  a  Messiah,  by  mistaking  the  prophecies  concerning  the  pro- 
him  ;  for  Peter  sailh  expressly.  Acts  iii.  17,  to  the  Jews,  P***"** 
That  both  they  and  their  rulers  did  it  through  ignorance.  ^ 
And  Paul  saith,  1  Cor.  ii.  8,  "That  had  they  known  it, 
they  would  not  have  crucified  the  Lord  of  Glory."  Yea, 
Mary  herself,  to  whom  the  angel  had  spoken,  and  who  had 
laid  up  all  the  miraculous  things  accompanying  his  birth 
in  hei  heart,  she  did  not  understand  how,  when   he  dis- 
puted with  the  doctors  in  the  temple,  that  he  was  about  his 
faiher's  business.     And  the  apostles  that  had  believed  him, 
conversed  daily  with  him,  and  saw  his  miracles,  could  not 
understand,  neither  believe  those  things  which  related  to 
his  death,  sufTerings,  and  resurrection,  but  were  in  a  certain 
respect  stumbled  at  them. 

§  XXVII.  So  we  see  how  that  it  is  the  inward  work. 


184 


PROPOSITIONS   V     AND  VI. 


and  not  the  outward  history  and  scripture,  that  gives  the 
true  knowledge ;  and  by  this  in  .vard  light  many  of  the 
The  hca-    heathen  philosophers  were  sensible  of  the  loss  received  b) 
sensibirof  ^^^ii'T^j  though  they  knew  not  the  outward  history :  henct 
the  loss  re-  Plato  asserted,  That  "man's  soul  was  fallen  into  a  dark 

C6IV6Q  by 

Adam.       cave,  where  it  only  conversed  with  shadows,"  Pythagoras 
saith,  "  Man  wandereth  in  this  world  as  a  stranger,  banished 
jHeaihen     from  the  presence  of  God."     And  Plotinus  comparelh 
pher?°di-    "  man's  soul,  fallen  from  God,  to  a  cinder,  or  dead  coal, 
ledge''""^"  ^^^^      wliich  the  fire  is  extinguished."  Some  of  them  said, 
Plato.       That  "the  wings  of  the  soul  were  clipped  or  fallen  off,  so 
pioUnf      that  they  could  not  flee  unto  God."  All  which,  and  many 
more  such  expressions,  that  might  be  gathered  out  of  their 
writings,  show,  that  they  were  not  without  a  sense  of  this 
loss.    Also  they  had  a  knowledge  and  discovery  of  Jesus 
Christ  inwardly,  as  a  remedy  in  them,  to  deliver  them  from 
that  evil  seed,  and  the  evil  inclinations  of  their  own  hearts, 
though  not  under  that  particular  denomination. 

Some  called  him  a  Holy  Spirit,  as  Seneca,  Epist.  41, 
who  said,  "  There  is  a  Holy  Spirit  in  us,  that  treateth  us 
Cicero  calls  as  we  treat  him."    Cicero  calleth  it  an  "  innate  light,"  in 
light.        his  book  De  Repuhlica,  cited  by  Lactantius,  6  Inst.,  where 
Sect*"  '"''^'^        "  "S^t  reason,  given  unto  all,  constant  and 

eternal,  calling  unto  duty  by  commanding,  and  deterring 
from  deceit  by  forbidding."  Adding,  "That  it  cannot  be 
abrogated,  neither  can  any  be  freed  from  it,  neither  by 
senate  nor  people ;  that  it  is  one  eternal,  and  the  same  al- 
ways to  all  nations ;  so  that  there  is  not  one  at  Rome,  an  J 
another  at  Athens :  Whoso  obeys  it  not,  must  flee  from 
hiirself,  and  in  this  is  greatly  tormented,  although  he  should 
escape  all  other  punishments."  Plotinus  also  calls  him 
light,  saying,  That  "  as  the  sun  cannot  be  known  but  by 
its  own  light,  so  God  cannot  be  known  but  with  his  own 
light:  and  as  the  eye  cannot  see  the  sun  but  by  receiving 
its  image,  so  man  cannot  know  God  but  by  receiving  his 
image ;  and  that  it  behoveth  man  to  come  to  purity  of 
heart  before  he  could  know  God  ;"  calling  him  also  Wis- 
dom, a  name  frequently  given  him  in  scripture ;  !»ee  Prov 


OF  eNIVERSAL  AND  SAVING  LIGHT 


1S5 


>.  20,  to  the  end  ;  and  Prov.  viii.  9,  34,  where  Wisdom  is 
said  to  cry,  entreat,  and  invite  all  to  come  unto  her,  and 
learn  of  her :  and  what  is  this  Wisdom  but  Christ  ?  Hence 
such  as  came  among  the  heathen,  to  forsake  evil,  and 
cleave  to  righteousness,  were  called  philosophers,  that  is,  Philoso- 
lovers  of  wisdom.    They  knew  this  wisdom  was  nigh  unto  w'h'ence  so 
them,  and  that  "the  best  knowledge  of  God,  and  divine 
•nysteries,  was  by  the  inspiration  of  the  wisdom  of  God." 
Phocylides  affirmed,  that  "  the  word  of  the  wisdom  of  Phocylides. 
God  was  best."    His  words  in  the  Greek  are,  Tris  5s 
Qso'JTvsug'ris  docpiag  "kuj  og  tV'v  "IT"?- 

And  much  more  of  this  kind  might  be  instanced,  by 
which  it  appears  they  knew  Christ ;  and  by  his  working  in 
them  were  brought  from  unrighteousness  to  righteousness, 
and  to  love  that  power  by  which  they  felt  themselves  re- 
deemed ;  so  that,  as  saith  the  apostle,  «'  They  show  the 
work  of  the  law  written  in  their  hearts,  and  did  the  things 
contained  in  the  law  ;"  and  therefore,  as  all  doers  of  the 
law  are,  were  no  doubt  justified,  and  saved  thus  by  the 
power  of  Christ  in  them.  And  as  this  was  the  judgment 
of  the  apostle,  so  was  it  of  the  primitive  Christians.  Hence 
Justin  Martyr  stuck  not  to  call  Socrates  a  Christian,  saying,  Socrates  • 
that  "all  such  as  lived  according  to  the  divine  word  in  &,c. 
them,  which  was  in  all  men,  were  Christians,  such  as  So- 
crates and  Heraclitus,  and  others  among  the  Greeks,"  &c. 
"That  such  as  live  with  the  word,  are  Christians  without 
fear  or  anxiety." 

Clemens  Alexandrinus  saith,  Apol.  ii.,  Strom,  lib.  i.,  Clem.Alei 
That  "  this  wisdom  or  philosophy  was  necessary  to  the 
Gentiles,  and  was  their  schoolmaster  to  lead  them  unto 
Christ,  by  which  of  old  the  Greeks  were  justified." 

"  Nor  do  I  think,"  saith  Augustine,  in  his  book  of  the  Augustin. 
City  of  God,  lib.  xviii.,  cap.  47,  "  that  the  Jews  dare  affirm  ^ 
that  none  belonged  unto  God  but  the  Israelites."  Upon 
which  place  Ludovicus  Vives  saith.  That  "  thus  the  Gen-  Lul.  Vitm 
tiles,  not  having  a  law,  were  a  law  unto  themselves  ;  and 
the  light  of  so  living  is  the  gift  of  God,  and  proceeds  '"rom 
16*  y 


186 


PROPOSITIONS  V.   AND  VI. 


The  Plato- 
nists  saw 
ihe  word  m 
the  begin- 
ning; whici 
wag  light. 


Ilai  Eben 
Yokdan. 


The  su- 
preme in- 
tellect en- 
joyed byihe 
mind  of 
man. 


The  day  of 
the  Lord 
proclaimed. 


the  Son  ;  of  whom  it  is  written,  that  he  *  enlighteneth  every 
man  that  cometh  into  the  world.'  " 

Augustine  also  testifies  in  his  confessions,  lib.  i.,  cap.  9. 
That  he  had  read  in  the  writings  of  the  Platonists,  though 
not  in  the  very  same  words,  yet  that  which  by  many  and 
multiplied  reasons  did  persuade,  that '  in  the  beginning  was 
the  word,  and  the  word  was  with  God  ;  this  was  in  the 
beginning  with  God,  by  which  all  things  were  made,  and 
without  which  nothing  was  made  that  was  made  :  in  him 
was  life,  and  the  life  was  the  light  of  men :  and  the  light 
shined  in  the  darkness,  and  the  darkness  did  not  compre- 
hend it.'  And,  albeit  the  soul  gives  testimony  concerning 
the  light,  yet  it  is  not  the  light,  but  the  word  of  God  ;  for 
<  God  is  the  true  Light,  which  enlighteneth  every  man  that 
cometh  into  the  world  ;'  "  and  so  repeats  to  verse  14,  of 
John  i.,  adding,  "These  things  liave  I  there  read." 

Yea,  there  is  a  book  translated  out  of  the  Arabic,  which 
gives  an  account  of  one  Hai  Eben  Yokdan  ;  who  living  in 
an  island  alone,  without  converse  of  man,  attained  to  such 
a  profound  knowledge  of  God,  as  to  have  immediate  con- 
verse with  him,  and  to  affirm,  "That  the  best  and  most 
certain  knowledge  of  God  is  not  that  which  is  attained  by 
premises  premised,  and  conclusions  deduced  ;  but  that 
which  is  enjoyed  by  conjunction  of  the  mind  of  man  with 
the  supreme  intellect,  after  the  mind  is  purified  from  its 
corruptions,  and  is  separated  from  all  bodily  images,  and 
is  gathered  into  a  profound  stillness." 

§  XXVIII.  Seeing  then  it  is  by  this  inward  gift,  grace, 
and  light,  that  both  those  that  have  the  gospel  preached 
unto  them,  come  to  have  Jesus  brought  forth  in  them,  and 
to  have  the  saving  and  sanctified  use  of  all  outward  helps 
and  advantages ;  and  also  by  this  same  light,  that  all  may 
come  to  be  saved ;  and  that  God  calls,  invites,  and  strives 
with  ail,  in  a  day,  and  saveth  many,  to  whom  he  hath  not 
seen  meet  to  convey  this  outward  knowledge ;  therefore 
we,  having  the  experience  of  the  inward  and  powerful 
work  of  this  light  in  our  hearts,  even  Jesus  revealed  in  "is, 
'•annot  cease  to  proclaim  the  day  of  the  Lord  that  is  arisen 


OF  UNIVERSAL  AND  SAVING  LIGHT. 


187 


.n  il,  crying  out  with  the  woman  of  Samaria  ;  "  Come  and 
see  one  that  hath  told  me  all  that  ever  I  have  done  :  Is  not 
this  the  Christ?"  That  others  may  come  and  feel  the  same 
in  themselves,  and  may  know,  that  that  little  small  thing 
that  reproves  them  in  their  hearts,  however  they  have 
despised  and  neglected  it,  is  nothing  less  than  the  gospti 
preached  in  them  ;  Christ,  the  wisdom  and  power  of  God, 
being  in  and  by  that  seed  seeking  to  save  their  souls. 

Of  this  light  therefore  Augustine  speaks  in  his  confes- 
sions, lib.  xi.,  cap.  9:  "In  this  beginning,  0  God!  thou 
madest  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  in  thy  word,  in  thy  Son,  August  ne 
in  thy  virtue,  in  thy  wisdom,  wonderfully  saying,  and  |f,e"in.'si^i^ 
wonderfully  doing.    Who  shall  comprehend  it  ?    Who  jngs  of  the 
shall  declare  it.'    What  is  that  which  shineth  in  unto  me,  h'fm,  and 
and  smites  my  heart  without  hurt,  at  which  I  both  tremble,  ^'^^'^ 
and  am  inflamed  .''  I  tremble,  in  so  far  as  I  am  unlike  unto 
it ;  and  I  am  inflamed  in  so  far  as  I  am  like  unto  it  :  it  is 
wisdom,  wisdom  which  shineth  in  unto  me,  and  dispelleth 
my  cloud,  which  had  again  covered  me,  after  I  was  de- 
parted from  it,  with  darkness  and  the  heap  of  my  punish- 
ments."   And  again  he  saith,  lib.  x.,  cap.  27,  <<  It  is  too 
late  that  I  have  loved  thee,  0  thou  beautifulness,  so  ancient 
and  so  new !  late  have  I  loved  thee,  and  behold  thou  wast 
within,  and  I  was  without,  and  there  was  seeking  thee ! 
thou  didst  call,  thou  didst  cry,  thou  d'dst  break  my  deaf- 
ness, thou  glancedst,  thou  didst  shine,  thou  chasedst  away 
my  darkness." 

Of  this  also  our  countryman  George  Buchanan  speaketh  Kuchanan 
thus  in  his  book,  De  Jure  regni  ap  id  Scotos :  "Truly  I  Ihellght*'" 
understand  no  other  thing  at  present  than  that  light  which 
is  divinely  infused  into  our  souls :  for  when  God  formed 
man,  he  not  only  gave  him  eyes  to  his  body,  by  which  he 
might  shun  those  things  that  are  hu:tful  to  him,  and  follow 
(hose  things  that  are  profitable  ;  but  also  hath  set  before 
his  mind  as  it  were  a  certain  light,  by  which  he  may  di.s- 
cern  things  that  are  vile  from  things  that  are  honest. 
Some  call  this  power  '  nature,'  others  the  <  law  of  nature 
I  truly  judge  it  to  be  divine,  and  am  persuaded  that  nature 


r88 


PROPOSITION  VII. 


and  wisilom  never  say  different  things.  Moreover,  Clot! 
hath  given  us  a  compend  of  the  law,  which  in  few  words 
comprehends  the  whole  ;  to  wit,  that  we  should  love  him 
from  our  hearts,  and  our  neighbours  as  ourselves.  And  ol 
this  law  all  the  books  of  the  holy  scriptures,  which  pertain 
to  the  forming  of  manners,  contain  no  other  but  an  expli- 
cation." 

This  is  that  universal  evangelical  principle,  in  and  by 

Jew  and     which  this  salvation  of  Christ  is  exhibited  to  all  men,  both 

Scythian    Jew  and  Gentile,  Scythian  and  Barbarian,  of  whatsoever 

and  Barba-  gomitry  kindred  he  be :  and  therefore  God  hath  raised 
nan  par-  ... 

takers  of  up  unto  himself,  in  this  our  age,  faithful  witnesses  and 
the  sslvs*  • 

tion  of  evangelists  to  preach  again  his  everlasting  gospel,  and  to 
Christ.  direct  all,  as  well  the  high  professors,  who  boast  of  the 
law  and  the  scriptures,  and  the  outward  knowledge  of 
Christ,  as  the  infidels  and  heathen  that  know  not  him  that 
way,  that  they  may  all  come  to  mind  the  light  in  them, 
and  know  Christ  in  them,  "the  just  one,  tov  aUuiov,  whom 
they  have  so  long  killed,  and  made  merry  over,  and  he 
hath  not  resisted,"  James  v.  6,  and  give  up  their  sins,  ini- 
quities, false  faith,  professions,  and  outside  righteousness, 
to  be  crucified  by  the  power  of  his  cross  in  them,  so  as 
they  may  know  Christ  within  to  be  the  hope  of  glory,  ano 
may  come  to  walk  in  his  light  and  be  saved,  who  is  that 
«<  true  light  that  enlighteneth  every  man  that  cometh  into 
the  world." 


PROPOSITION  VII. 

Concerning  Justification. 

As  many  as  resist  not  this  light,  but  receive  the  same,  it 
becomes  in  them  a  holy,  pure,  and  spiritual  birth, 
bringing  forth  holiness,  righteousness,  purity,  and  al. 
those  other  blessed  fruits  which  are  acceptable  to  God 
by  which  holy  birth,  to  wit,  Jesus  Christ  formed  within 
us,  and  working  his  works  in  us,  as  we  are  sanctified, 
so  are  we  justified  in  the  sight  of  God,  according  to  the 
aposde's  words ;  "  But  ye  are  washed,  but  ye  are  sane- 


OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


189 


tified,  but  ye  are  justified  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus, 
and  by  the  Spirit  of  our  God,"  1  Cor.  vi.  11.  Thtre- 
fore  it  is  not  by  our  works  wrought  in  our  will,  nor  yet 
by  good  works  considered  as  of  themselves  ;  but  by 
Christ,  who  is  both  the  gift  and  the  giver,  and  the  cause 
producing  the  effects  in  us ;  who,  as  he  hath  reconciled 
us  while  we  were  enemies,  doth  also  in  his  wisdom  save 
us  and  justify  us  after  this  manner,  as  saith  the  same 
apostle  elsewhere;  "According  to  his  mercy  he  saved 
us,  by  the  washing  of  regeneration,  and  the  renewing 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,"  Tit.  iii.  5. 

§  I.  The  doctrine  of  justification  comes  well  in  order 
after  the  discussing  of  the  extent  of  Christ's  death,  and  of 
the  grace  thereby  communicated,  some  of  the  sharpest  con- 
tests concerning  this  having  from  thence  their  rise.  Many 
are  the  disputes  among  those  called  Christians  concerning 
this  point ;  and  indeed,  if  all  were  truly  minding  that 
which  justifieth,  there  would  be  less  noise  about  the  no- 
tions of  justification.  I  shall  briefly  review  this  controversy 
as  it  stands  among  others,  and  as  I  have  often  seriously 
observed  it ;  then  in  short  state  the  controversy  as  to  us, 
and  open  our  sense  and  judgment  of  it;  and  lastly  prove 
it,  if  the  Lord  will,  by  some  scripture  testimonies,  and  the 
certain  experience  of  all  that  ever  were  truly  justified. 

§  IL  That  this  doctrine  of  justification,  hath  been  and  Observat. 
is  greatly  vitiated  in  the  church  of  Rome,  is  not  by  us  J^gj^f^j,^ 
questioned  ;  though  our  adversaries,  who  for  want  of  better  Jifjcation 
arguments  do  often  make  lies  their  refuge,  have  not  spared  the  church 
in  this  respect  to  stigmatize  us  with  popery,  but  how  un- 
truly  will  hereafter  appear.    For  to  speak  little  of  their 
meritum  ex  condigno,  which  was  no  doubt  a  very  common 
doctrine  of  the  Romish  church,  especially  before  Luther, 
though  most  of  their  modern  writers,  especially  in  their 
controversies  with  Protestants,  do  partly  deny  it,  partly 
qualify  it,  and  seem  to  state  the  matter  only  as  if  they  were 
propagators  and  pleaders  for  good  works  by  the  others 
denied ;  yet  if  we  look  to  the  effects  of  this  doctrine  among 


190 


PROPOSITION  VII. 


The  pope's 
doctrine  of 
merits,  the 
most  bene- 
ticial  of  all 
his  re- 
venue. 


Papists 

justification 

depends 

upon  the 

pope's 

bulls. 


Proof  I. 
Their  sa- 
craments. 


Papists' 
pnnance. 


them,  as  they  appear  in  the  generality  of  their  3hurch  mem- 
bers, not  in  things  disapi)rovecl,  but  highly  approved  and 
commended  by  their  father  the  pope  and  all  his  (dients, 
as  the  most  beneficial  casualty  of  all  his  revenue,  we  shall 
find  that  Luther  did  not  without  great  ground  oppose  him- 
self to  them  in  this  matter:  and  if  he  had  not  run  himself 
into  another  extreme,  of  which  hereafter,  his  work  would 
have  stood  the  better.  For  in  this,  as  in  most  other  things, 
he  is  more  to  be  commended  for  what  he  pulled  down  of 
Babylon,  than  for  what  he  built  of  his  own.  Whatever 
then  the  Papists  may  pretend,  or  even  some  good  men 
among  them  may  have  thought,  experience  showeth,  and 
it  is  more  than  manifest  by  the  universal  and  approved 
practice  of  their  people,  that  they  place  not  their  justifica- 
tion so  much  in  works  that  are  truly  and  morally  good, 
and  in  the  being  truly  renewed  and  sanctified  in  the  mind, 
as  in  such  things  as  are  either  nor  good  nor  evil,  or  may 
truly  be  called  evil,  and  can  no  otherways  be  reckoned 
good  than  because  the  pope  pleases  to  call  them  so.  So 
that  if  the  matter  be  well  sifted,  it  will  be  found,  that  the 
greatest  part  of  their  justification  depends  upon  the  authority 
of  his  bulls,  and  not  upon  the  power,  virtue,  and  grace  of 
Christ  revealed  in  the  heart,  and  renewing  of  it,  as  will  ap- 
pear. First,  From  their  principle  concerning  their  sacra- 
ments, which  they  say  confer  grace  ex  opere  operato.  So 
that  if  a  man  partake  but  of  them,  he  thereby  obtains 
remission  of  sin,  though  he  remains  as  he  was;  the  virtue 
of  the  sacraments  making  up  the  want  that  is  in  the  man. 
So  that  this  act  of  submission  and  faith  to  the  laws  of  the 
church,  and  not  any  real  inward  change,  is  that  which 
justifieth  him.  As  for  example  ;  if  a  man  make  use  of  the 
sacrament,  as  they  call  it,  of  penance,  so  as  to  tell  over 
his  sins  to  a  priest,  though  he  have  not  true  contrition, 
which  the  Lord  hath  made  absolutely  necessary  for  peni- 
tent sinners,  but  only  attrition,  a  figment  of  their  own,  that 
is,  if  he  be  sorry  he  hath  sinned,  not  out  of  any  love  to 
God,  or  his  law  which  he  hath  transgressed,  but  for  fear 
of  punishment,  yet  doth  the  virtue  of  the  sacrament,  as 


OF  JUSninCATION. 


191 


ihey  affirm,  procure  to  liitn  remission  of  sins  ;  so  that  being 
absolved  by  the  priest,  ho  stands  accepted  and  justified  in 
the  sight  of  God.  This  man's  justification  then  proceedeth 
not  from  his  being  truly  penitent,  and  in  any  measure  in- 
wardly changed  and  renewed  by  the  working  of  God's 
grace  in  his  heart,  but  merely  from  the  virtue  of  the  sacra- 
ment, and  authority  of  the  priest,  who  hath  pronounced 
him  absolved ;  so  that  his  justification  is  from  fomewhat 
without  him,  and  not  within  him. 

Secondly,  This  will  yet  more  appear  in  the  matter  of  Proof  II. 
indulgences,  where  remission  of  all  sins,  not  only  past  but  p^^p^^^ 
for  years  to  come,  is  annexed  to  the  visiting  such  and  such  dulgencea 
churches  and  relics,  saying  such  and  such  prayers ;  so 
that  the  person  that  so  doth  is  presently  cleared  from  the 
guilt  of  his  sin,  and  justified  and  accepted  in  the  sight  of 
God.  As  for  example  :  he  that  in  the  great  jubilee  will 
go  to  Rome,  and  present  himself  before  the  gate  of  Peter 
and  Paul,  and  there  receive  the  pope's  blessing  ;  or  he  that 
will  go  a  pilgrimage  to  James's  sepulchre  in  Spain,  or  to 
Mary  of  Loretto,  is  upon  the  performance  of  those  things 
promised  forgiveness  of  sins.  Now  if  we  ask  them  the 
reason  how  such  things  as  are  not  morally  good  in  them- 
selves come  to  have  virtue,  they  have  no  other  answer 
but  "  because  of  the  church  and  pope's  authority,"  who 
being  the  great  treasurer  of  the  magazine  of  Christ's 
merits,  lets  them  out  upon  such  and  such  conditions.  Thus 
also  the  invention  of  saying  mass  is  made  a  chief  instru-  Papist 
ment  of  justification  ;  for  in  it  they  pretend  to  ofTer  Christ  what 'it  m 
daily  to  the  Father  a  propitiatory  sacrifice  for  the  sins  of 
the  living  and  dead :  so  that  a  man  for  money  can  procure 
Christ  thus  to  be  offered  for  him  when  he  pleases  ;  by  which 
offering  he  is  said  to  obtain  remission  of  sins,  and  to  stand 
justified  in  the  sight  of  God.  From  all  which,  and  much 
more  of  this  nature  which  might  be  mentioned,  it  doth 
appear,  that  the  Papists  place  their  justification,  not  so 
much  in  any  work  of  holiness  really  brought  forth  in  them, 
and  real  forsaking  of  iniquity,  as  in  the  mere  performance 
of  some  ceremonies,  and  a  blind  belief  which  their  teachers 


192 


PROPOSITION  VII. 


have  begotten  in  them,  that  the  church  and  the  pope 
having  the  absolute  dispensation  of  the  merits  of  Christ, 
have  power  to  make  these  merits  effectual  for  the  remission 
of  sins,  and  justification  of  such  as  will  perform  these  cere- 
monies. This  is  the  true  and  real  method  of  justification 
taken  by  the  generality  of  the  church  of  Rome,  and  highly 
commended  by  their  public  preachers,  especially  the  monks, 
in  their  sermons  to  the  people,  of  which  I  myself  have  been 
an  ear  and  an  eye-witness  ;  however  some  of  their  modern 
writers  have  laboured  to  qualify  it  in  their  controversies. 

ljuther  and  This  doctrine  Luther  and  the  Protestants  then  had  good 
ihe  Pro 

testants'op-  reason  to  deny  and  oppose ;  though  many  of  them  ran  into 

posing  the  another  extreme,  so  as  to  deny  eood  works  to  be  necessary 

pope  s  doc-       ...  .  . 

trine  of      to  justification,  and  to  preach  up  not  only  remission  of 

into'the^^"  sins,  but  justification  by  faith  alone,  without  all  works, 

other  ex-    however  sfood.    So  that  men  do  not  obtain  their  justifica- 

treme  oi  no  .  °  .  .  i  i 

good  works  tion  according  as  they  are  mwardly  sanctified  and  renewed, 

t"©  juslifica-        ^""^  justified  merely  by  believing  that  Christ  died  for 

tion.  them  ;  and  so  some  may  be  perfectly  justified,  though  the) 
be  lying  in  gross  wickedness ;  as  appears  by  the  example 
of  David,  who  they  say  was  fully  and  perfectly  justified 
while  he  was  lying  in  the  gross  sins  of  murder  and  adult- 
ery. As  then  the  Protestants  have  sufiScient  ground  to 
quarrel  and  confute  the  Papists  concerning  the  se  many 
abuses  in  the  matter  of  justification,  showing  how  the  doc  - 
trine of  Christ  is  thereby  vitiated  and  overturned,  and  the 
word  of  God  made  void  by  many  and  useless  traditions, 
the  law  of  God  neglected,  while  foolish  and  needless  cere- 
monies are  prized  and  followed,  through  a  false  opinion  of 
being  justified  by  the  performance  of  them  ;  and  the  merits 
and  sufferings  of  Christ,  which  is  the  only  sacrifice  ap 
pointed  of  God  for  remission  of  sins,  derogated  from,  b) 

Papists'  de-  the  setting  up  or  a  daily  sacrifice  never  appointed  by  God. 

none'y       ^"^^  chiefly  devised  out  of  covetousness  to  get  money  by ; 

so  the  Protestants  on  the  other  hand,  by  not  rightly  estab- 
lishing and  holding  forth  the  doctrine  of  justification  ac- 
cording as  it  is  delivered  in  the  holy  scriptures,  have  opened 
a  door  for  the  Papists  to  accuse  them,  as  if  they  were 


OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


193 


neglectersof  good  works,  enemies  to  mortification  and  holi- 
ness, such  as  esteem  themselves  justified  while  lying  in 
great  sins:  by  which  kind  of  accusations,  for  which  too 
great  ground  hath  been  given  out  of  the  writings  of  some 
rigid  Protestants,  the  reformation  hath  been  greatly  defamed 
and  hindered,  and  the  souls  of  many  ensnared.  Whereas, 
whcf.'ver  will  narrowly  look  into  the  matter,  may  observe 
ihese  debates  to  be  more  in  specie  than  in  genere,  seeing 
both  do  upon  the  matter  land  in  one ;  and  like  two  men  in 
a  circle,  who  though  they  go  sundry  ways,  yet  meet  at  last 
in  the  same  centre. 

For  the  Papists  say,  "They  obtain  remission  of  sins.  Papists' be- 
and  are  justified  by  the  merits  of  Christ,  as  the  same  are  {jcadon"*"" 

applied  unto  them  in  the  use  of  the  sacraments  of  the  meets  m  the 
,       ,         ,         ,.  same  centre 

church,  and  are  dispensed  in  the  performance  of  such  and  with  the— 
such  ceremonies,  pilgrimages,  prayers,  and  performances, 
though  there  be  not  any  inward  renewing  of  the  mind,  nor 
knowing  of  Christ  inwardly  formed  ;  yet  they  are  remitted 
and  made  righteous  ex  opere  operato,  because  of  the  power 
and  authority  accompanying  the  sacraments  and  the  dis- 
pensers of  them." 

The  Protestants  say,  "  That  they  obtain  remission  of  —Protest 
sins,  and  stand  justified  in  the  sight  of  God  by  virtue  of 
she  merits  and  sufferings  of  Christ,  not  by  in^'using  right-  Sosaiththe 
vousne.ss  into  them,  but  by  pardoning  their  sins,  and  by  minster 
accounting  and  accepting  their  persons  as  righteous,  they  ^/'p^^j^'*"' 
resting  on  him  and  his  righteousness  by  faith  ;  which  faith,  chap.  xi. 
the  act  of  believing,  is  not  imputed  unto  them  for  right-  *' 
eousness." 

So  the  justification  of  neither  here  is  placed  in  any  in- 
ward renewing  of  the  mind,  or  by  virtue  of  any  spiritual 
birth,  or  formation  of  Christ  in  them  ;  but  only  by  a  bare 
application  of  the  death  and  sufferings  of  Christ  outwardly 
performed  for  them :  whereof  the  one  lays  hold  on  a  faith 
resting  upon  them,  and  hoping  to  be  justified  by  them 
alone ;  the  other  by  the  saying  of  some  outward  prayers 
and  ceremonies,  which  they  judge  makes  the  death  of 
Christ  effectual  unto  them.  I  except  here,  being  unwill- 
17  z 


194 


FROPOSITIOJf  VII. 


ing  to  wrong  any,  what  things  have  been  said  as  o  the  ne- 
cessity of  inward  holiness,  either  by  some  model  i  Papists, 
or  some  modern  Protestants,  who  in  so  far  as  they  have 
laboured  after  a  midst  betwixt  these  two  extremes  have 
come  near  to  the  truth,  as  by  some  citations  out  of  them 
hereafter  to  be  mentioned  will  appear:  though  this  doctrine 
hath  not  since  the  apostasy,  so  far  as  ever  I  could  observe, 
been  so  distinctly  and  evidently  held  forth  according  to 
the  scripture's  testimony,  as  it  hath  pleased  God  to  reveal 
it  and  preach  it  forth  in  this  day,  by  the  witnesses  of  his 
truth  whom  he  hath  raised  to  that  end  ;  which  doctrine, 
though  it  be  briefly  held  forth  and  comprehended  in  the 
State  oi  ih«  thesis  itself,  yet  I  shall  a  little  more  fully  explain,  and  show 
verey?"       ^he  state  of  the  controversy  as  it  stands  betwixt  us  and  those 

that  now  oppose  us. 
EiPL.  1.        §  III.  First  then,  as  by  the  explanation  of  the  former 
thesis  appears,  we  renounce  all  natural  power  and  ability 
in  ourselves,  in  order  to  bring  us  out  of  our  lost  and  fallen 
condition  and  first  nature  ;  and  confess,  that  as  of  our- 
selves we  are  able  to  do  nothing  that  is  good,  so  neither 
can  we  procure  remission  of  sins  or  justification  by  any 
act  of  our  own,  so  as  to  merit  it,  or  draw  it  as  a  debt  from 
Justifica-    God  due  unto  us ;  but  we  acknowledge  all  to  be  of  and 
""and  from  ^rom  his  love,  which  is  the  original  and  fundamental  cause 
God°^^  °^  acceptance. 

ExpL.  2.        Secondly,  God  manifested  this  love  towards  us,  in  the 
sending  of  his  beloved  Son,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  into  the 
Christ  giv-  world,  who  gave  himself  for  us  an  ofTering  and  a  sacrifice 
a"9acrifice"^  to  God,  for  a  "sweet-smelling  savour;"  and  having  made 
■^>r  us.       peace  through  the  blood  of  his  cross,  that  he  might  recon- 
cile us  unto  himself,  and  by  the  Eternal  Spirit  offered  him- 
self without  spot  unto  God,  and  suffered  for  our  sins,  the 
just  for  the  unju.st,  that  he  might  bring  us  unto  God. 
BiTL.  3.        Thirdly  then.  Forasmuch  as  all  men  who  have  come  to 
man's  estate  (the  man  Jesus  only  excepted)  have  sinned, 
therefore  all  have  need  of  this  Saviour,  to  remove  the  wiath 
of  God  from  them  due  to  their  offences  ;  in  this  respect  he 
is  truly  said  to  have  borne  the  in'quities  of  u-s  all  in  his 


OF  .lUSTII-lCATION. 


195 


body  on  the  tree,  and  therefore  is  the  only  Mediator,  hav- 
ing qualified  the  wrath  of  God  towards  us  ;  so  that  our 
former  sins  stand  not  in  our  way,  being  by  virtue  of  his 
most  satisfactory  sacrifice  removed  and  pardoned.  Neither 
Jo  we  think  that  remission  of  sins  is  to  be  expected,  sought,  To  remis- 
or  obtained  any  other  way,  or  by  any  works  or  sacrifice 
whatsoever;  though,  as  has  been  said  formerly,  they  may 
come  to  ])artake  of  this  remission  that  are  ignorant  of  the 
history.  So  then  Christ  by  his  death  and  sufferings  hath  The  only 
reconciled  us  to  God,  even  while  we  are  enemies ;  that  is,  {Telwfxt'^ 
he  offers  reconciliation  unto  us ;  we  are  put  into  a  capacity 
of  being  reconciled  ;  God  is  willing  to  forgive  us  our  ini- 
quities, and  to  accept  us,  as  is  well  expressed  by  the  apos- 
tle, 2  Cor.  V.  19  :  "  God  was  in  Christ,  reconciling  the 
world  unto  himself,  not  imputing  their  trespasses  unto  them, 
and  hath  put  in  us  the  word  of  reconciliation."  And 
therefore  the  apostle,  in  the  next  verses,  entreats  them  in 
"  Christ's  stead  to  be  reconciled  to  God  ;"  intimating  that 
the  wrath  of  God  being  removed  by  the  obedience  of  Christ 
Jesus,  he  is  willing  to  be  reconciled  unto  them,  and  ready 
to  remit  the  sins  that  are  past,  if  they  repent. 

We  consider  then  our  redemption  in  a  two-fold  respect  A  two-fold 
or  state,  both  which  in  their  own  nature  are  perfect,  though  [fon.""^' 
in  their  application  to  us  the  one  is  not,  nor  cannot  be, 
without  respect  to  the  other. 

The  first  is  the  redemption  performed  and  accomplished  I. 
by  Christ  for  us  in  his  crucified  body  without  us  :  the  other  dempUon 
is  the  redemption  wrought  by  Christ  in  us,  which  no  less  ofCnnst 
properly  is  called  and  accounted  a  redemption  than  the 
former.    The  first  then  is  that  whereby  man,  as  he  stands 
in  the  fall,  is  put  into  a  capacity  of  salvation,  and  hath  con- 
Teyed  unto  him  a  measure  of  that  power,  virtue,  spirit, 
life,  and  grace  that  was  in  Christ  Jesus,  which,  as  the  free 
gift  of  God,  is  able  tr  counterbalance,  overcome,  and  root 
out  the  evil  seed,  wherewith  we  are  naturally,  as  in  the  fall, 
leavened. 

The  second  is  that  whereby  we  witness  and  know  this 
pure  and  perfect  redemption  in  ourselves,  purifying,  clean&^ 


196 


PROP  SITION  VII. 


II  ing,  and  redeeming  us  from  the  power  of  corruption,  and 
dempUon    bringing  us  into  unity,  favour,  and  friendship  with  God. 

wrought  by  By  the  first  of  these  two,  we  that  were  lost  in  Adam, 
Christ  in       ,  ,  .  ,  ' 

u.  plunged  into  the  bitter  and  corrupt  seed,  unable  of  our- 

selves to  do  any  good  thing,  but  naturally  joined  and 
united  to  evil,  forward  and  propense  to  all  iniquity,  ser- 
vants and  slaves  to  the  power  and  spirit  of  darkness,  are, 
notwithstanding  all  this,  so  far  reconciled  to  God  by  the 
death  of  his  Son,  while  enemies,  that  we  are  put  into  a 
capacity  of  salvation,  having  the  glad  tidings  of  the  gospel 
of  peace  offered  unto  us,  and  God  is  reconciled  unto  us 
in  Christ,  calls  and  invites  us  to  himself,  in  which  respect 
*Eph. ii.  15.  we  understand  these  scriptures;  *  He  slew  the  enmity  in 
10.  Ezek.   himself.    He  loved  us  first ;  seeing  us  in  our  blood,  he 

Pet  Ti  22    ^^^^  ^^^^  '  '^'^  ^^  ^^  ^^"^^ 

14,  &.  iii.     our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree  :  and  he  died  for  our 

18  .  • 

sins,  the  just  for  the  unjust. 

By  the  second,  we  witness  this  capacity  brought  into 
act,  whereby  receiving  and  not  resisting  the  purchase  of 
his  death,  to  wit,  the  light,  spirit,  and  grace  of  Christ  re- 
vealed in  us,  we  witness  and  possess  a  real,  true,  and  in- 
ward redemption  from  the  power  and  prevalency  of  sin, 
and  so  come  to  be  truly  and  really  redeemed,  justified,  and 
made  righteous,  and  to  a  sensible  union  and  friendship 
with  God.  Thus  he  died  "for  us,  that  he  might  redeem 
Tit.  ii.  14.  us  from  all  iniquity  ;"  and  thus  "  we  know  him  and  the 
Phil  111.  10.  pQ^gp  q{-  jjjg  resurrection,  and  the  fellowship  of  his  suffer- 
itigfs,  being  made  conformable  to  his  death."  This  last 
follows  the  first  in  order,  and  is  a  consequence  of  it,  pro- 
ceeding from  it,  as  an  effect  from  its  cause :  so  as  none 
could  have  enjoyed  the  last,  without  the  first  had  been, 
such  being  the  will  of  God ;  so  also  can  none  now  partake 
ot  the  first,  but  as  he  witnesseth  the  last.  Wherefore  as 
to  us,  they  are  both  causes  of  our  justification  ;  the  first  the 
procuring  efficient,  the  other  the  formal  cause. 
En-L.  4.  Fourthly,  We  understand  not  by  this  justification  by 
Christ,  barely  the  good  w^orks  even  wrought  by  the  Sj  irit 
of  Christ  ;  foi  they,  as  Protestants  truly  affirm,  are  rather 


OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


197 


an  effect  of  justification  than  the  cause  of  it ;  out  we  under- 

Btand  tlie  formation  of  Christ  in  us,  Christ  born  and  _, 

1  he  torma- 

brought  forth  in  us,  from  which  good  works  as  naturally  tion  of 
proceed  as  fruit  from  a  fruitful  tree.  It  is  this  inward  begets  good 
birth  in  us,  bringing  forth  righteousness  and  holiness  in  us,  works. 
Jiat  doth  justify  us  ;  which  having  removed  and  done 
away  the  contrary  nature  and  spirit  that  did  bear  rule  and 
bring  condemnation,  now  is  in  dominion  over  all  in  our 
hearts.  Those  then  that  come  to  know  Christ  thus  formed 
in  them,  do  enjoy  him  wholly  and  undivided,  who  is  "the 
LORD  our  RIGHTEOUSNESS,"  Jer.  xxiii.  6.  This  is 
to  be  clothed  with  Christ,  and  to  have  put  him  on,  whom 
God  therefore  truly  accounteth  righteous  and  just.  This 
is  so  far  from  being  the  doctrine  of  Papists,  that  as  the  ge- 
nerality of  them  do  not  understand  it,  so  the  learned  among 
them  oppose  if,  and  dispute  against  it,  and  particularly 
Bellarmine.  Thus  then,  as  I  may  say,  the  formal  cause  of 
justification  is  not  the  works,  to  speak  properly,  they  being 
but  an  effect  of  it ;  but  this  inward  birth,  this  Jesus  brought 
forth  in  the  heart,  who  is  the  well-beloved,  whom  the 
Father  cannot  but  accept,  and  all  those  who  thus  are 
sprinkled  with  the  blood  of  Jesus,  and  washed  with  it.  By 
this  also  comes  that  communication  of  the  goods  of  Christ 
unto  us,  "  by  which  we  come  to  be  made  partakers  of  the 
divine  nature,"  as  saith  Peter,  2  Pet.  i.  4,  and  are  made 
one  with  him,  as  the  branches  with  the  vine,  and  have  a 
title  and  right  to  what  he  hath  done  and  suffered  for  us ;  so  chnst's 
that  his  obedience  becomes  ours,  his  risfhteousness  ours,  obedience, 

'  o  J  righteous- 

his  death  and  sufferings  ours.  And  by  this  nearness  we  ness, death 
come  to  have  a  sense  of  his  sufferings,  and  to  suffer  with  ing-s  are 
his  seed,  that  yet  lies  pressed  and  crucified  in  the  hearts  of 
the  ungodly,  and  so  travail  with  it,  and  for  its  redemption, 
and  for  the  repentance  of  those  souls  that  in  it  are  cruci- 
fying as  yet  the  "Lord  of  Glory."  Even  as  the  apostle 
Paul,  who  by  his  sufferings  is  said  to  "  fill  up  that  which 
is  behind  of  the  afflictions  of  Christ  for  his  body,  which  is 
the  church."  Though  this  be  a  mystery  sealed  up  from 
all  the  wise  men  that  are  yet  ignorant  of  this  seed  in  thera- 
\1* 


198 


PROPOSITION  VII. 


selves,  and  oppose  it,  nevertheless  some  Protestants  speaK 
of  this  justification  by  Christ  inwardly  put  on,  as  shall  here- 
after be  recited  in  its  place. 
BiPL.  ft.  Lastly,  Though  we  place  remission  of  sins  in  the  right- 
eousness and  obedience  of  Christ  performed  by  him  in  the 
flesh,  as  to  what  pertains  to  the  remote  procuring  cause, 
and  that  we  hold  ourselves  formally  justified  by  Christ 
Jesus  formed  and  brought  forth  in  us,  yet  can  we  not,  as 
'iood  some  Protestants  have  unwarily  done,  exclude  works  from 
"oTexdud-  justification.  For  though  properly  we  be  not  justified  for 
jd  jusiifica-  them,  yet  are  we  justified  in  them  ;  and  they  are  necessary, 
even  as  causa  sine  qua  non,  i.  e.,  the  cause,  without  which 
none  are  justified.  For  the  denying  of  this,  as  it  is  con- 
trary to  the  scripture's  testimony,  so  it  hath  brought  a  great 
scandal  to  the  Protestant  religion,  opened  the  mouths  of 
Papists,  and  made  many  too  secure,  while  they  have 
believed  to  be  justified  without  good  works.  Moreover, 
though  it  be  not  so  safe  to  say  they  are  meritorious,  yet 
seeing  they  are  rewarded,  many  of  those  called  the  Fathers 
•have  not  spared  to  use  the  word  merit,  which  some  of  us 
have  perhaps  also  done  in  a  qualified  sense,  but  no  ways 
to  infer  the  Popish  abuses  above  mentioned.  And  lastly, 
if  we  had  that  notion  of  good  works  which  most  Protest- 
ants have,  we  could  freely  agree  to  make  them  not  only 
not  necessary,  but  reject  them  as  hurtful,  viz. :  That  the 
best  works  even  of  the  saints  are  defiled  and  polluted. 
For  though  we  judge  so  of  the  best  works  performed  by 
man,  endeavouring  a  conformity  to  the  outward  law  by 
his  own  strength,  and  in  his  own  will,  yd  we  believe  hal 
such  works  as  naturally  proceed  from  this  spiritual  o  n) 
and  formation  of  Christ  in  us  are  pure  and  holy,  even  as 
the  root  from  which  they  come  ;  and  therefore  God  accepts 
them,  justifies  us  in  them,  and  rewards  us  for  them  of  his 
own  free  grace.  The  state  of  the  controversy  being  thus 
laid  down,  these  following  positions  do  from  hence  arise  in 
the  next  place  to  be  proved. 
Posit  I,  §  IV.  First,  That  the  obedience,  sufferings,  and  death 
of  Christ  is  that  by  which  the  soul  obtains  remission  ol 


OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


199 


sins,  and  is  the  procuring  cause  of  that  grace,  by  whose 
inward  workings  Christ  comes  to  be  formed  inwardly,  and 
the  soul  to  be  made  conformable  unto  him,  and  so  just  and 
iustifie  .  And  that  therefore,  in  respect  of  this  capacity 
and  offer  of  grace,  God  is  said  to  be  reconciled  ;  not  as 
if  he  were  actually  reconciled,  or  did  actually  justify,  or 
ill  count  any  just,  so  long  as  they  remain  in  their  sins  really 
impure  and  unjust. 

Secondly,  That  it  is  by  this  inward  birth  of  Christ  in  Posir.  U. 
man  that  man  is  made  just,  and  therefore  so  accounted  by 
God  :  wherefore,  to  be  plain,  we  are  thereby,  and  not  till 
ihat  be  brought  forth  in  us  formally,  if  we  must  use  that 
word,  justified  in  the  sight  of  God;  because  justification 
is  both  more  properly  and  frequently  in  scripture  taken  in 
its  proper  signification  for  making  one  just,  and  not  reput- 
ing one  merely  such,  and  is  all  one  with  sandification. 

Thirdly,  That  since  good  works  as  naturally  follow  from  Posit.  111. 
this  birth  as  heat  from  fire,  therefore  are  they  of  absolute 
necessity  to  justification,  as  causa  sine  qua  non,  i.  e.  though  Good 
not  as  the  cause  for  which,  yet  as  that  in  which  we  are,  wi^ks  ate 

'  •'  '  eausa  sine 

and  without  which  we  cannot  be  justified.    And  though  9«a  won — 

they  be  not  meritorious,  and  draw  no  debt  upon  God,  yet  Hon!'*''''*'* 

he  cannot  but  accept  and  reward  them  :  for  it  is  contrary 

to  his  nature  to  deny  his  own,  since  they  may  be  perfect  in 

their  kind,  as  proceeding  from  a  pure  holy  birth  and  root. 

Wherefore  their  judgment  is  false  and  against  the  truth 

'.hat  say  ;  that  the  holiest  works  of  the  saints  are  defiled 

and  sinful  in  the  sight  of  God  :  for  these  good  works  are 

not  the  works  of  the  law,  excluded  by  the  apostle  from 

justification. 

§  V.  As  to  the  first,  I  prove  it  from  Rom.  iii.  25 :  Posit.  1. 

•  '  Whori  God  hath  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation  through  p^o^p  j 

failh  in  his  blood,  to  declare  his  righteousness  for  the  The  effi- 

remission  of  sins  that  are  past,  through  the  foibearance  of  r"u ?f 

^      '  o  Onrist  8 

(lod."    Here  the  apostle  holds  forth  the  extent  and  efficacy  death  tore 
of  Christ's  death,  showing  that  thereby,  and  by  faith  out  of "cviJ 
therein,  remission  of  sins  that  are  past  is  obtained,  as  being 
that  wherein  the  forbearance  of  God  is  exercised  towards 


200 


PROPOSITION  vn. 


mankind.  So  that  though  men  for  the  sins  they  daily 
commit  deserve  eternal  death,  and  that  the  wrath  of  God 
should  lay  hold  upon  them  ;  yet,  by  virtue  of  that  most 
satisfactory  sacrifice  of  Christ  Jesus,  the  scrace  and  seed 
of  God  moves  in  love  towards  them,  during  the  day 
of  their  visitation  ;  yet  not  so  as  not  to  strike  against  the 
evil,  for  that  must  be  burnt  up  and  destroyed,  but  to  redeera 
man  out  of  the  evil. 

PBPor  II.  Secondly,  If  God  were  perfectly  reconciled  with  men, 
and  did  esteem  them  just  while  they  are  actually  unjust, 
and  do  continue  in  their  sins,  then  should  God  have  no 
controversy  with  them  ;*  how  comes  he  then  so  often  to 
complain,  and  to  expostulate  so  much  throughout  the 
whole  scripture  with  such  as  our  adversaries  confess  to  be 
justified,  telling  them  "  that  their  sins  separate  betwixt  him 
and  them  ?"  Isai.  lix.  2.  For  where  there  is  a  perfect  and 
full  reconciliation,  there  is  no  separation.  Yea,  from  this 
doctrine  it  necessarily  follows,  either  that  such  for  whom 
Christ  died,  and  whom  he  hath  thus  reconciled,  never  sin, 
or  that  when  they  do  so,  they  are  still  reconciled,  and  their 
sins  make  not  the  least  separation  from  God  ;  yea,  that 
they  are  justified  in  their  sins.  From  whence  also  would 
follow  this  abominable  consequence,  that  the  good  works 
and  greatest  sins  of  such  are  alike  in  the  sight  of  God, 
seeing  neither  the  one  serves  to  justify  them,  nor  the  other 
to  break  their  reconciliation,  which  occasions  great  security, 
and  opens  a  door  to  every  lewd  practice. 

Peoc7  III.  Thirdly,  This  would  make  void  the  whole  practical  doc- 
trine of  the  gospel,  and  make  faith  itself  needless.  For 
if  faith  and  repentance,  and  the  other  conditions  called  fof 
throughout  the  gospel,  be  a  qualification  upon  our  part 
necessary  to  be  performed,  then,  before  this  be  performed 

•  I  do  not  only  speak  concerning  men  before  conversion,  who  after- 
wards are  converted,  wlioin  yet  some  of  our  antagonists,  called  Anti- 
nomians,  do  aver  were  justified  from  the  beginning;  but  also  touching 
those  who,  according  to  the  common  opinion  of  Protestants,  have  been 
converted  ;  whom  albeit  they  confess  they  persist  always  in  some 
misdeeds,  and  sometimes  in  heinous  sins,  as  is  manifest  in  David's 
adultery  and  murder,  yet  they  assert  to  be  perfectly  and  wholly  jiisti 
fied. 


OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


201 


by  us,  we  are  either  fully  reconciled  to  God,  or  uat  in  a 
capacity  of  being  reconciled  to  God,  he  being  ready  to 
reconcile  and  justify  us  as  these  conditions  are  performed  ; 
which  latter,  if  granted,  is  according  to  the  truth  we  pro- 
fess.   And  if  we  are  already  perfectly  reconciled  and  justi- 
fied before  these  condition's  are  performed,  (which  con- 
ditions are  of  that  nature  that  they  cannot  be  performed  at 
nne  time,  but  are  to  be  done  all  one's  lifetime,)  then  can 
they  not  be  said  to  be  absolutely  needful ;  which  is  con- 
trary to  the  very  express  testimony  of  scripture,  which  is 
acknowledged  by  all  Christians:  ''For  without  faith  it  is  lleb.  xi  t>. 
impossible  to  please  God."    "They  that  believe  not  are  j^kexiii's 
condemned  already,  because  they  believe  not  in  the  only  ^iii- 
begotten  Son  of  God."    Except  ye  repent,  ye  cannot  be 
saved  :  '<  for  if  ye  live  after  the  flesh,  ye  shall  die."  And 
of  those  that  were  converted  ;  I  w  ill  remove  your  can-  Apoe.  ii.  5. 
dlestick  from  you,  unless  ye  repent.    Should  I  mention 
all  the  scriptures  that  positively  and  evidently  prove  this,  I 
might  transcribe  much  of  all  the  doctrinal  part  of  the  Bible. 
For  since  Christ  said,  "  It  is  finished,"  and  did  finish 
his  work  sixteen  hundred  years  ago  and  upwards  ;  if  he 
so  fully  perfected  redemption  then,  and  did  actually  recon- 
cile every  one  that  is  to  be  saved,  not  simply  opening  a  A  door  o( 
door  of  mercy  for  them,  ottering  the  sacrifice  of  his  body,  "pened  by 

Dv  which  they  may  obtain  remission  of  their  sins  when  Chnsiupor 
y  1  •      •  repentance 

they  repent,  and  communicatmg  unto  them  a  measure  of 

his  grace,  by  which  they  may  see  their  sins,  and  be  able  to 

repent ;  but  really  making  them  to  be  reputed  as  just, 

either  before  they  believe,  as  say  the  Antinomians,  or  after  The  Ami- 

Uie\  have  assented  to  the  truth  of  the  history  of  Christ,  or  oprnion^of 

ure  sprinkled  with  the  baptism  of  water,  while  nevertheless  reconcilia- 

1  11-1  r    ,    ■  , 

they  are  actually  unjust,  so  that  no  part  of  their  redemp-  jusiifica 
(ion  is  to  be  wrought  by  him  now,  as  to  their  reconciliation 
anii  justification  ;  then  the  whole  doctrinal  part  of  the  bible 
is  useless,  and  of  no  profit :  in  vain  were  the  apostles  sent 
forth  to  preach  repentance  and  remission  of  sins ;  and  in 
vain  do  all  the  preachers  bestow  their  labour,  spend  their 
oreath,  and  g-'ve  forth  writings;  yea,  much  more  in  vain 

2a 


202 


PROPOSITION  VII. 


do  il  e  people  spend  their  money  which  they  give  them  foi 
preaching ;  seeing  it  is  all  but  actum  agere,  but  a  vain  and 
ineffectual  essay,  to  do  that  which  is  already  perfectly  done 
without  them, 

Prooi  IV.  But  lastly,  To  pass  by  their  human  labours,  as  not  wtrth 
the  disputing  whether  they  be  needful  cr  not,  since,  as  we 
shall  hereafter  show,  themselves  coniess  the  best  of  then'j  is 
sinful ;  this  also  makes  void  the  present  intercession  of 
Christ  for  men.  What  will  become  of  that  great  article  of 
Christ's  faith,  by  which  we  affirm,  "  That  he  sits  at  the  right  hand 
fng  inter^  of  God,  daily  making  intercession  for  us ;  and  for  which 
cession  for  ^.^^j  jj^g  Spirit  itself  maketh  intercession  foj-  us  with  groan- 
ings  which  cannot  be  uttered .'"  For  Christ  maketh  not 
intercession  for  those  that  are  not  in  a  possibility  of  salva- 
tion ;  that  is  absurd.  Our  adversaries  will  not  admit  that 
he  prayed  for  the  world  at  all ;  and  to  pray  for  those  that 
are  already  reconciled,  and  perfectly  justified,  is  to  no  pur- 
pose :  to  pray  for  remission  of  sins  is  yet  more  needless, 
if  all  be  remitted,  past,  present,  and  to  come.  Indeed 
there  is  not  any  solid  solving  of  this,  but  by  acknowledg- 
ing according  to  the  truth.  That  Christ  by  his  death 
removed  the  wrath  of  God,  so  far  as  to  obtain  remission 
of  sins  for  as  many  as  receive  that  grace  and  light  that  he 
communicates  unto  them,  and  hath  purchased  for  them  by 
his  blood  ;  which,  as  they  believe  in,  they  come  to  know 
remission  of  sins  past,  and  power  to  save  them  from  sin, 
and  to  wipe  it  away,  so  often  as  they  may  fall  into  it  by 
unwatchfulness  or  weakness,  if,  applying  themselves  to  this 
grace,  they  truly  repent ;  for  "  to  as  many  as  receive  him, 
he  gives  power  to  become  the  sons  of  God  :"  so  none  are 
sons,  none  are  justified,  none  reconciled,  until  they  thua 
receive  him  in  that  little  seed  in  their  hearts  :  And  life 
eternal  is  offered  to  those,  who  by  patient  continuance  in 
well-doing,  seek  for  glory,  honour,  and  immortality:  for 
if  the  righteous  man  depart  from  his  righ'eousness,  his 
righteousness  shall  be  remembered  no  more.  And  there- 
fore on  the  other  part,  none  are  longer  sons  of  God,  and 
justified,  than  they  patiently  continue  in  righteousness  and 


OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


203 


well-doing.  And  therefore  Christ  lives  always  making 
intercession,  during  the  day  of  every  man's  visitation,  that 
they  may  be  converted  :  and  when  men  are  in  some  mea- 
sure converted,  he  makes  intercession  that  they  may  con- 
tinue and  go  on,  and  not  faint,  nor  go  back  again.  Much 
more  might  be  said  to  confirm  this  truth  ;  but  I  go  on  to 
^ake  notice  of  the  common  objections  against  it,  which  are 
the  arguments  made  use  of  to  propagate  the  errors  con- 
trary to  it. 

§  VI.  The  first  and  chief  is  drawn  from  that  saying  of 
the  apostle  before  mentioned,  2  Cor.  v.  18,  19,  "God 
hath  reconciled  us  to  himself  by  Jesus  Christ :  God  was  in 
Christ  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself,  not  imputing 
their  trespasses  unto  them." 

From  hence  they  seek  to  infer.  That  Christ  fully  per-  Cbj.  1. 
ferted  the  work  of  reconciliation,  while  he  was  on  earth. 

I  answer;  If  by  reconciliation  be  understood  the  re- Answ, 

moving  of  wrath,  and  the  purchase  of  that  grace  by  which 

we  may  come  to  be  reconciled,  we  agree  to  it ;  but  that 

that  place  speaks  no  more,  appears  from  the  place  itself : 

for  when  the  apostle  speaks  in  the  perfect  time,  saying, 

"  He  hath  reconciled  us,"  he  speaks  of  himself  and  the 

saints  ;  who  having  received  the  grace  of  God  purchased  The  differ 

by  Christ,  weie  through  faith  in  him  actually  reconciled,  ^ween Ve- 

But  as  to  the  world,  he  saith  reconciling  not  reconciled : '"f^}^^^  ^'^ , 
...  •  ,  Ctrisi,  antf 

which  reconciling,  though  it  denotes  a  time  somewhat  past,  reconciling. 

yet  it  is  by  the  imperfect  time,  denoting  that  the  thing  be- 
gun was  not  perfected.  For  this  work  Christ  began  towards 
all  in  the  days  of  his  flesh,  yea,  and  long  before  ;  for  He 
was  the  mediator  from  the  beginning,  and"  the  lamb  slain 
from  the  foundation  of  the  world  :  but  in  his  flesh,  after 
he  had  perfectly  fulfilled  the  law,  and  the  righteousness 
thereof,  had  rent  the  veil,  and  made  way  for  the  more  clear 
and  universal  revelation  of  the  gospel  to  all,  both  Jew  and 
Gentile ;  he  gave  up  himself  a  most  satisfactory  sacrifice 
for  sin  ;  which  becomes  effectual  to  as  many  as  receive 
him  in  his  inward  appearance,  in  his  light  in  the  heart. 
Again,  this  very  place  showeth  that  no  other  reconciliation 


204 


PROPOSITION  VII. 


is  intended,  but  the  opening  of  a  door  of  mercy  upos 
God's  part,  and  a  removing  of  wrath  for  sins  that  are  past; 
so  as  men,  notwithstanding  their  sins,  are  stated  in  a  capa- 
city of  salvation  :  for  the  apostle,  in  the  following  verse, 
saith,  "Now  then  we  are  ambassadors  for  Christ,  as  though 
God  did  beseech  you  by  us  ;  we  pray  you  in  Christ's  stead 
be  ye  reconciled  to  God."  For  if  their  reconciliation  had 
already  been  perfectly  accomplished,  what  need  an}  en- 
treating then  to  be  reconciled?  Ambassadors  are  not  sent 
after  a  peace  already  perfected,  and  reconciliation  made, 
to  entreat  for  a  reconciliation  ;  for  that  implies  a  manifest 
contradiction. 

On.  8.  Secondly,  They  object,  verse  21st  of  the  same  chapter, 
"  For  he  hath  made  him  to  be  sin  for  us,  who  knew  no 
sin,  that  we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in 
him."  From  whence  they  argue.  That  as  our  sin  is  im- 
puted to  Christ,  who  had  no  sin  ;  so  Christ's  righteousness 
is  imputed  to  us,  without  our  being  righteous. 
Aifsw.  But  this  interpretation  is  easily  rejected ;  for  though 

"  Christ  bare  our  sins,"  and  "  suffered  for  us,"  and  was 
among  men  "  accounted  a  sinner,"  and  "  numbered  among 
transgressors  ;"  yet  that  God  reputed  him  a  sinner,  is  no- 
Heb.vii.26.  where  proved.    For  it  is  said.  He  was  found  before  him 
I  Pet.  ii.  22.  }jf,]y^  harmless,  and  undefiled,  neither  was  there  found  any 
guile  in  his  mouth.    That  we  deserved  these  things,  and 
much  more  for  our  sins,  which  he  endured  in  obedience  to 
the  Father,  and  according  to  his  counsel,  is  true  ;  but  that 
Men's  im-  ever  God  reputed  him  a  sinner,  is  denied :  neither  did  he 
teousncfs''  ^'t^  ^hat  ive  should  be  reputed  righteous,  though  .lo 

(ut€^''  ^'^    more  really  such  than  he  was  a  sinner,  as  hereafter  ap|.trars. 

For  indeed,  if  this  argument  hold,  it  might  be  stretched  to 
that  length,  as  to  become  very  pleasing  to  wicked  men  that 
love  to  abide  in  their  sins :  for  if  we  be  made  righteous, 
as  Christ  was  made  a  sinner,  merely  by  imputation  ;  then 
as  there  was  no  sin,  not  in  the  least  in  Christ,  so  it  would 
follow,  that  there  needed  no  more  righteousness,  no  more 
holiness,  no  more  inward  sanctification  in  us,  than  there 
was  sin  in  him.   So  then,  by  his  "being  made  sin  for  us" 


OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


20S 


must  be  understood  his  suffering  for  our  sins,  that  we 
might  be  made  partakers  of  the  grace  purchased  by  him ; 
by  the  \vorI<ings  whereof  we  are  made  the  righteousness 
of  God  in  him.  For  that  the  apostle  understood  here  a 
being  made  really  righteous,  and  not  merely  a  being  re- 
futed such,  appears  by  what  follows,  seeing  in  vers.  14, 
15.  16,  of  the  following  chapter,  he  argues  largely  against 
any  supposed  agreement  of  light  and  darkness,  righteous- 
ness and  unrighteousness ;  which  must  needs  be  admitted, 
if  men  are  to  be  reckoned  engrafted  in  Christ,  and  real 
members  of  him,  merely  by  an  imputative  righteousness, 
wholly  without  them,  while  they  themselves  are  actually 
unrighteous.  And  indeed  it  may  be  thought  strange,  how 
some  men  have  made  this  so  fundamental  an  article  of 
their  faith,  which  is  so  contrary  to  the  whole  strain  of  the 
gospel :  a  thing  which  Christ  in  none  of  all  his  sermons 
and  gracious  speeches  ever  willed  any  to  rely  upon  ;  al- 
ways recommending  to  us  works,  as  instrumental  in  our 
justification.  And  the  more  it  is  to  be  admired  at,  because 
that  sentence  or  term,  so  frequently  in  their  mouths,  and 
so  often  pressed  by  them,  as  the  very  basis  of  their  hope 
and  confidence,  to  wit.  The  imputed  righteousness  of  Christ's 
Christ,  is  not  to  be  found  in  all  the  bible,  at  least  as  to  my  r^hteoua- 

^bservation.    Thus  have  I  passed  through  the  first  part,  ness  not 

.    found  in  u 

^nd  that  the  more  briefly,  because  many,  who  assert  this  the  bible, 
justification  by  bare  imputation,  do  nevertheless  confess, 
ihat  even  t^e  elect  are  not  justified  until  they  be  converted ; 
that  is,  not  until  this  imputative  justification  be  applied  to 
them  by  the  Spirit. 

§  VII.  I  come  then  to  the  second  thing  proposed  by  Posit.  II. 
me,  which  is ;  That  it  is  by  this  inward  birth,  or  Christ  By  Christ 
formed  within,  that  we  are,  so  to  speak,  formally  justified  w^tlirn  we 
in  the  sight  of  God.  1  suppose  I  have  said  enough  already  ^,gj''"* 
to  demonstrate  how  much  we  ascribe  to  the  death  and 
sufferings  of  Christ,  as  that  whereby  satisfaction  is  made 
to  the  justice  of  God,  remission  of  sins  obtained,  and  this 
grace  and  seed  purchased,  by  and  from  which  this  birth 
proceeds.   The  thing  now  to  be  proved  is,  That  by  Christ 
18 


•20b 


PROPOSITION  ni. 


Jesus  formed  in  us,  we  are  justified,  or  made  just  Let  it 
be  marked,  I  use  justification,  in  this  sense  upon  this  oc- 
casion. 

Proof  1.       First  then,  I  prove  this  by  that  of  the  apostle  Paul,  1 

Cor.  vi.  11,  "And  such  were  some  of  you;  but  ye  aie 

Justified,    washed,  but  ye  are  sanctified,  but  ye  are  justified  in  tl  e 

inailejlIS    name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  by  the  Spirit  of  our  Gcd." 

really,  not  First,  This  justified  here  understood,  must  needs  be  t  be- 
by  impuia-  .  11  1  . 

lion.  ing  really  made  just,  and  not  a  being  merely  imputed 
such ;  else  sanctified  and  washed  might  be  reputed  a  being 
esteemed  so,  and  not  a  being  really  so  ;  and  then  it  quite 
overturns  the  whole  intent  of  the  context.  For  the  apostle 
showing  them  in  the  preceding  verses,  how  the  "  un- 
righteous cannot  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God,"  and  des- 
cending to  the  several  species  of  wickedness,  subsumes, 
That  they  were  sometimes  such,  but  now  are  not  any 
more  such.  Wherefore,  as  they  are  now  washed  and 
sanctified,  so  are  they  justified:  for  if  this  justification 
were  not  real,  then  it  might  be  alleged  that  the  Corinthians 
had  not  forsaken  these  evils  ;  but,  though  they  still  con- 
tinued in  them,  were  notwithstanding  justified :  which  as 
in  itself  it  is  most  absurd,  so  it  very  clearly  overturneth  the 
very  import  and  intent  of  the  place  ;  as  if  the  Corinthians 
turning  Christians  had  not  wrought  any  real  change  in 
them,  but  had  only  been  a  belief  of  some  barren  notions, 
which  had  wrought  no  alteration  in  their  affections,  will, 
or  manner  of  life.  For  my  own  part,  I  neither  see  any 
thing,  nor  could  ever  yet  hear  or  read  any  thing,  that  with 
any  colour  of  reason  did  evince  justified  in  this  place  to  be 
understood  any  other  ways  than  in  its  own  proper  and 
The  deri-  genuine  interpretation  of  being  made  just.  And  for  the 
t'he'w'ord  '""''^  understanding  hereof,  let  it  be  considered,  that 
justified  ^  (his  word  justify  is  derived  either  from  the  substantive 
fcc.  '  justice,  or  the  adjective  Jus^ :  both  which  words  import  the 
substantive,  that  true  and  real  virtue  in  the  soul,  as  it  is  in 
itself;  to  wit,  it  signifies  really,  and  not  suppositively ,  thai 
excellent  quality  expressed  and  understood  among  men  by 
the  word  justice;  and  the  adjective as  applieJ  signi- 


OF  JUSTIFICATION 


20-; 


fies  a  man  or  woman  who  is  just,  that  s,  in  whom  this 
quality  of  justice  is  stated:  for  it  would  not  only  be  great 
impropriety,  but  also  manifest  falsity,  to  call  a  man  just, 
merely  by  supposition  ;  especially  if  he  were  really  unjust. 
Now  this  word  justify  formed  from  justice,  or  jiuit,  doth 
beyond  all  question  signify  a  making  just ;  it  being  nothing 
else  but  a  composition  of  the  verb  facio,  and  the  adjective 
Justus,  which  is  nothing  else  than  ihus,  justijico,  i.  e.,jus- 
tum  facio,  I  make  just ;  and  justified  of  justus  and  fio,  as 
Justus  fio,  I  become  just,  and  justijicatus,  i.  e.  justus  fac- 
tus,  I  am  made  just.  Thus  also  is  it  with  verbs  of  this 
kind,  as  sandifico,  from  sandus,  holy,  and  facio  ;  honori- 
Jico,  from  honor  and  facio  ;  sacrifco,  from  sacer  and  facio: 
all  which  are  still  understood  of  the  subject  really  and  truly 
endued  with  that  virtue  and  quality  from  which  the  verb  is 
derived.  Therefore,  as  none  are  said  to  be  sanctified  that  Justified 
are  really  unholy,  while  they  are  such ;  so  neither  can  any  w^hne^Uiey 
be  truly  said  to  be  justified,  while  they  actually  remain  un-  actually  re 

•'  1     .      •      1     1     •  I      •     I  '"ain  un- 

just.   Only  this  verb  justify  hath,  m  a  metaphorical  and  just. 

figurative  sense,  been  otherwise  taken,  to  wit,  in  a  law 

sense  ;  as  when  a  man  really  guilty  of  a  crime  is  freed  from 

the  punishment  of  his  sin,  he  is  said  to  be  justified;  that 

is,  put  in  the  place  as  if  he  were  just.    For  this  use  of  the 

word  hath  proceeded  from  that  true  supposition,  That  none 

ought  to  be  acquitted,  but  the  innocent.    Hence  also  that 

manner  of  speaking,  I  will  justify  such  a  man,  or  I  will 

justify  this  or  that,  is  used  from  the  supposition  that  the 

person  and  thing  is  really  justifiable :  and  where  there  is 

an  error  and  abuse  in  the  matter,  so  far  there  is  also  in  the 

expression. 

This  is  so  manifest  and  apparent,  that  Parous,  a  chief  Pareus  de 
Protestant,  and  a  Calvinist  also  in  his  opinion,  acknow-  gg^l"  J^""*' 
ledges  this;  "We  never  at  anytime  .said,"  saith  he,  "nor  c.vii.p.469 
thought,  that  the  righteousness  of  Christ  was  imputed  to 
us,  that  by  him  we  should  be  named  formally  just,  and  not 
be  so,  as  we  have  divers  times  already  showed  ;  for  that 
would  no  less  soundly  fight  with  right  reason,  than  if  a 
guilty  man  absolved  in  judgment  should  say,  that  he  him- 


PROPOSITION  VII. 


self  was  formally  just  by  the  clemency  of  the  judge  grant- 
ing hun  his  life."  Now  is  it  not  strange,  tW  men  should 
be  so  facile  in  a  matter  of  so  great  concernment,  as  to 
build  the  stress  of  their  acceptance  with  God  upon  a  mere 
borrowed  and  metaphorical  signification,  to  the  excluding, 
Holiness  or  at  least  esteeming  that  not  necessary,  without  which  the 
iherefore  scripture  saith  expressly,  <«  No  man  shall  ever  see  God  ?" 
good  works  For  if  holiness  be  requisite  and  necessary,  of  which  this  ."s 
said,  then  must  good  works  also;  unless  our  adversaries 
can  show  us  a  holy  man  without  good  works.  But,  more- 
over, justified  in  this  figurative  sense  is  used  for  approved; 
and  indeed  for  the  most  part,  if  not  always  in  scripture, 
when  the  word  justify  is  used,  it  is  taken  in  the  worst  part; 
that  is,  that  as  the  use  of  the  word  that  way  is  a  usurpa- 
tion, so  it  is  spoken  of  such  as  usurp  the  thing  to  them- 
selves, while  it  properly  doth  not  belong  unto  them ;  as 
will  appear  to  those  that  will  be  at  the  pains  to  examine 
these  places:  Exod.  xxiii.  7;  Job.  ix.  20,  and  xxvii.  5; 
Prov.  xvii.  15;  Isai.  v.  23;  Jer.  iii.  11  ;  Ezek.  xvi.  51, 
52  ;  Luke  x.  29,  and  xvi.  15,  which  are  all  spoken  of  men 
"justifying  the  wicked,"  or  of  "wicked  men  juscifying 
themselves  ;"  that  is,  approving  themselves  in  their  wicked- 
ness. If  it  be  at  any  time  in  this  signification  taken  in  good 
part,  it  is  very  seldom,  and  that  so  obvious  and  plain  by 
the  context,  as  leaves  no  scruple.  But  the  question  is  not 
so  much  of  the  use  of  the  word,  where  it  is  passingly  or 
occasionally  used,  as  where  the  very  doctrine  of  justifica- 
tion is  handled.  Where  indeed  to  mistake  it,  viz.  in  its 
proper  place,  so  as  to  content  ourselves  with  an  imaginary 
justification,  while  God  requires  a  real,  is  of  most  danger 
ous  consequence.  For  the  disquisition  of  which,  let  it  be 
considered,  that  in  all  these  places  to  the  Romans,  Co- 
rinthians, Galatians,  and  elsewhere,  where  the  apostle 
handles  this  theme,  the  word  may  be  taken  in  its  own  pro- 
per signification  without  any  absurdity.  As,  where  it  is 
often  asserted  in  the  above-mentioned  epistles  to  the  Ro« 
mans  and  Galatians,  That  "a  man  cannot  be  justified  by 
the  law  of  Moses,  nor  by  the  works  of  the  law ;"  there  is 


OF  JUSTIFICATION 


209 


no  absurdity  nor  danger  in  understanding  it  according  to  Justified, 
its  own  proper  signification,  to  wit,  that  a  man  cannot  be  s"gn^i^t'^a?^' 
made  just  by  the  law  of  Moses  ;  seeing  this  so  well  agrees  "o"- 
with  that  saying  of  the  same  apostle.  That  <<  the  law  makes 
nothing  perfect."    And  also  where  it  is  said,  "  We  are 
justified  by  faith,"  it  may  be  very  well  understood  of  be- 
ing made  just ;  seeing  it  is  also  said,  That  '<  faith  purifies 
the  heart ;"  and  no  doubt  the  pure  in  heart  are  just ;  and 
"  the  just  live  by  faith."    Again,  where  it  is  said,  We  are 
justified  by  grace,  we  are  justified  by  Christ,  we  are  justi- 
fied by  the  Spirit ;  it  is  no  ways  absurd  to  understand  it 
of  being  made  just,  seeing  by  his  Spirit  and  grace  he  doth 
make  men  just.   But  to  understand  it  universally  the  other 
way,  merely  for  acceptance  and  imputation,  would  infer 
great  absurdities,  as  may  be  proved  at  large  ;  but  because 
I  judged  it  would  be  acknowledged,  I  forbear  at  present 
for  brevity's  sake.   But  further,  in  the  most  weighty  places 
where  this  word  justify  is  used  in  scripture,  with  an  im- 
mediate relation  to  the  doctrine  of  justification,  our  adver-  Justifica- 
saries  must  needs  acknowledge  it  to  be  understood  of  fje" amak 
making  just,  and  not  barely  in  the  legal  acceptation:  as  ingjust. 
first,  in  that  of  1  Cor.  vi.  11,  "But  ye  are  washed,  but 
ye  are  sanctified,  but  ye  are  justified,"  as  I  before  have 
proved  ;  which  also  many  protestants  are  forced  to  acknow- 
ledge.   '<  Neither  diffide  we,"  saith  Thysius,  "  because  of  Thysius 
the  most  great  and  strict  connexion,  that  justification  doth  j^usuThes. 
sometimes  seem  also  to  comprehend  sanctification  as  a  ^• 
consequence,  as  in  Rom.  viii.  30 ;  Tit.  iii.  7 ;  1  Cor.  vi. 
11,  '  And  such  sometimes  were  ye,  but  ye  are  washed,'  " 
&c.    Zanchius,  having  spoken  concerning  this  sense  of  Zanchius  in 
justification,  adds,  saying:  "There  is  another  signification  j/'ph'.^v.^'f. 
of  the  word,  viz:  for  a  man  from  unjust  to  be  made  just,  loc.deJuit 
even  as  sanctified  signifies  from  unholy  to  be  made  holy  : 
ill  which  signification  the  apostle  said,  in  the  place  above 
cited,  '  And  such  were  some  of  you,'  &c.,  that  is,  of  un- 
clean ye  are  made  holy,  and  of  unjust  ye  are  made  just  by 
the  Holy  Spirit,  for  Christ's  sake,  in  whom  ye  have  be- 
lieved.   Of  this  signification  is  that,  Rev.  xxii.  11,  'Let 
IS*  2  b 


210 


PROPOSITION  VII. 


H-Bullir^. 


Righteous- 
ness the 
only  me- 
dium by 
which  from 
our  calling 
we  pass  to 
glorifica- 
tion. 


D.  Cham. 
Tom.  iii.  de 
Sand  1.  X. 
\  1. 


B«ia  in  c. 

H.  aa  Tit. 


him  that  is  just,  be  just  still  that  is,  rtally  from  jusl  be- 
come more  just,  even  as  from  unjust  he  became  just.  And 
according  to  this  signification  the  Fathers,  and  especially 
Augustine,  have  interpreted  this  word."  Thus  far  he. 
H.  Bullinger,  on  the  same  place,  1  Cor.  vi.,  speaketh  thus, 
"By  divers  words,"  saith  he,  "the  apostle  signifies  the 
same  thing,  when  he  saith,  '  Ye  are  washed,  ye  are  sancti- 
fied, ye  are  justified.'  " 

Secondly,  In  that  excellent  saying  of  the  apostle,  so 
much  observed,  Rom.  viii.  30,  "Whom  he  called,  them 
he  also  justified,  and  whom  he  justified,  them  he  also  glori- 
fied:" this  is  commonly  called  the  golden  chain,  as  being 
acknowledged  to  comprehend  the  method  and  order  of 
salvation.  And  therefore,  if  justified  were  not  understood 
here  in  its  proper  signification  of  being  made  just,  sancti- 
fication  would  be  excluded  out  of  this  chain.  And  truly 
it  is  very  worthy  of  observation,  that  the  apostle,  in  this 
succinct  and  compendious  account,  makes  the  word  justi- 
fied to  comprehend  all  betwixt  calling  and  glorifying ; 
thereby  clearly  insinuating,  that  the  being  really  righteous 
is  that  only  medium  by  which  from  our  calling  we  pass  to 
glorification.  Almost  all  do  acknowledge  the  word  to  be 
so  taken  in  this  place ;  and  not  only  so,  but  most  of  those 
who  oppose  are  forced  to  acknowledge,  that  as  this  is  the 
most  proper,  so  the  most  common  signification  of  it :  thus 
divers  famous  Protestants  acknowledge.  "  We  are  not," 
saith  D.  Chamierus,  "  such  impertinent  esteemers  of  words, 
as  to  be  ignorant,  nor  yet  such  importunate  sophists,  as  to 
deny  that  the  words  justification  and  sandijication  do  'ife.r 
one  another ;  yea,  we  know  that  the  saints  are  chiefly  for 
this  reason  so  called,  because  that  in  Christ  they  have  re- 
ceived remission  of  sins:  and  we  read  in  the  revelations, 
<  Let  him  that  is  just,  be  just  still ;'  which  cannot  be  under- 
stood, except  of  the  fruit  of  inherent  righteousness.  Nor 
do  we  deny,  but  perhaps  in  other  places  they  may  be  pro- 
miscuously taken,  especially  by  the  Fathers."  "  I  take," 
saith  Beza,  "  the  name  of  justification  largely,  so  as  it  com- 
prehends wliatsoever  we  acquire  from  Christ,  as  well  by 


OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


211 


imputation,  as  by  the  efficacy  of  the  Spirit  in  sanctifying 

us.    So  likewise  is  the  word  justificaiion  taken,  Rom.  viii. 

30."    Melancthon  saith,  "  That  to  be  justified  by  faith,  Melanct.  in 

signifies  in  scripture  not  only  to  be  pronounced  just,  but  **" " 

also  of  unrighteous  to  be  made  righteous."    Also  some 

chief  Protestants,  though  not  so  clearly,  yet  in  part,  hinted 

at  our  doctrine,  whereby  we  ascribe  unto  the  death  of 

Ch'f'st  remission  of  sins,  and  the  work  of  justification  unto 

the  grace  of  the  Spirit  acquired  by  his  death.  Martinus 

Borseus,  explaining  that  place  of  the  apostle,  Rom.  iv.  25:  Boreus,  m 

"  Who  was  given  for  our  sins,  and  rose  again  for  our  justi-  Credidit*** 

fication,"  saith  :  "  There  are  two  thin}j;s  beheld  in  Christ, 

.      .        9  .       .    ^^o,  p.  161. 

which  are  necessary  to  our  justification  ;  the  one  is  his 
death,  the  other  is  his  arising  from  the  dead.    By  his  death, 
the  sins  of  this  world  behoved  to  be  expiated  :  by  his  rising 
from  the  dead,  it  pleased  the  same  goodness  of  God  to  give 
the  Holy  Spirit,  whereby  both  the  gospel  is  believed,  and 
the  righteousness,  lost  by  the  fault  of  the  first  Adam,  is  re- 
stored."   And  afterwards  he  saith:  "The  apostle  express- 
eth  both  parts  in  these  words,  '  Who  was  given  for  our 
sins,'  &c.    In  his  death  is  beheld  the  satisfaction  for  sin  ; 
in  his  resurrection,  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  by  which  our 
justification  is  perfected."    And  again,  the  same  man  saith 
ftlsewhere  :  "  Both  these  kinds  of  righteousness  are  there-  Wem,  lib. 
fore  contained  in  justification,  neither  can  the  one  becap. 
separate  from  the  other.    So  that  in  the  definition  of  justi-  P- 
fication,  the  merit  of  the  blood  of  Christ  is  included,  both 
with  the  remission  of  sins,  and  with  the  gift  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  of  justification  and  regeneration."  Martinus  Bucerus  Bucems,  in 
saith  :  "Seeing  by  one  sin  of  Adam  the  world  was  lost,  feTie.'^' 
tlie  grace  of  Christ  hath  not  only  abolished  that  one  sin, 
and  death  which  came  by  it ;  but  hath  together  taken  away 
those  infinite  sins,  and  also  led  into  full  justification  as 
many  as  are  of  Christ  ;  so  that  God  now  not  only  remits  Righteous, 
onto  them  Adam's  sin,  and  their  own,  but  also  gives  them  iomihy*^"" 
therewith  the  Spirit  of  a  solid  and  perfect  righteousness,  'lie  imago 

^  °  '  ol  ihe  liral 

which  renders  us  conform  unto  the  image  of  the  first-  btgotien. 
begotten."    And  upon  these  words,  by  Jesus  Chriit,  he 


212 


PROPOSITION  VII. 


saith  :  '<  We  always  judge  that  the  whole  benefit  of  Chrisi 
tends  to  this,  that  we  might  be  strong  through  the  gift  of 
lighteousness,  being  rightly  and  orderly  adorned  with  all 
virtue,  that  is,  restored  to  the  image  of  God."  And  lastly, 
W.  Forbes  William  Forbes,  our  countryman,  bishop  of  Edinburgh, 

inConsider.      ■  ,  ^-.j,  .  ,  ,  .         „  , 

Modest,  de  saith  :  "  Whensoever  the  scripture  makes  mention  of  the 

seel' ti'^  "  j'^'Stification  before  God,  as  speaketh  Paul,  and  from  him 

(besides  otliers)  Augustine,  it  appears  that  the  word  justify 

necessarily  signifies  not  only  to  pronounce  just  in  a  law 

sense,  but  also  really  and  inherently  to  make  just;  because 

that  God  doth  justify  a  wicked  man  otherwise  than  earthly 

How  God  judges.  For  he,  when  he  justifies  a  wicked  or  unjust  man, 
ustifies  the   ,    ,    •    ,      ,  ,  .  ,  1,11 

wicked.  doth  indeed  pronounce  him  as  these  also  do  ;  but  by  pro- 
nouncing him  just,  because  his  judgment  is  according  to 
truth,  he  also  makes  him  really  of  unjust  to  become  just." 
And  again,  the  same  man,  upon  the  same  occasion,  an- 
swering the  more  rigid  Protestants,  who  say,  That  God  first 
justifies,  and  then  makes  just;  he  adds:  "But  let  them 
have  a  care,  lest  by  too  great  and  empty  subtilty,  unknown 
both  to  the  scriptures  and  the  fathers,  they  lessen  and 
diminish  the  weight  and  dignity  of  so  great  and  divine  a 
benefit,  so  much  celebrated  in  the  scripture,  to  wit,  justi- 
fication of  the  wicked.  For  if  to  the  formal  reason  of 
justification  of  the  ungodly  doth  not  at  all  belong  his  justi- 
fication (so  to  speak),  i.  e.,  his  being  made  righteous,  then 
in  the  justification  of  a  sinner,  although  he  be  justified,  yet 
the  stain  of  sin  is  not  taken  away,  but  remains  the  same  in 
his  soul  as  before  justification  ;  and  so,  notwithstanding  the 
benefit  of  justification,  he  remains  as  before,  unjust  and  a 
sinner  ;  and  nothing  is  taken  away,  but  the  guilt  and  obli- 
gation to  pain,  and  the  offence  and  enmity  of  God  througii 
non-imputation.  But  both  the  scriptures  and  fathers  do 
affirm,  that  in  the  justification  of  a  sinner,  their  sins  are  not 
only  remitted,  forgiven,  covered,  not  imputed,  but  also 
taken  away,  blotted  out,  cleansed,  washed,  purged,  and 
very  far  removed  from  us,  as  appears  from  many  places  of 
the  holy  scriptures."  The  same  Forbes  shows  us  at 
length,  in  the  following  chapter.  That  this  was  the  con- 


OF  JUSTlt'ICATION. 


213 


lessecl  judgment  of  the  fathers,  out  of  the  writings  of  those 
who  hold  the  contrary  opinion ;  some  whereof,  out  of  him, 
I  shall  note.    As,  first,  Calvin  saith :  "  That  the  judgment  Caly.  inat. 
of  Augustine,  or  at  least  his  manner  of  speaking,  is  not  'ecti'is.*'' 
throughout  to  be  received  ;  who  although  he  took  from 
man  all  praise  of  righteousness,  and  ascribed  all  to  the 
grace  of  God,  yet  he  refers  grace  to  sanctification,  by  which 
we  are  regenerate  through  the  Spirit  unto  newness  of  life." 
Chemnitius  saith :  That  they  "  do  not  deny,  but  that  the  Chemnit. 
fathers  take  the  word  justify  for  renewing^  by  which  works  Conc.^Trid 
of  righteousness  are  wrought  in  us  by  the  Spirit."    And  j^g-^"*'-'  P 
p.  130  :  "I  am  not  ignorant,  that  the  fathers  indeed  often 
use  the  word  justify  in  this  signification,  to  wit,  of  making 
just."    Zanchius  saith:  "That  the  fathers,  and  chiefly  Zanchius 
Augustine,  interpret  the  word  justify  according  to  this  yer*4 
signification,  to  wit,  of  making  just;  so  that,  according  to  Joj^deJust 
them,  to  be  justified  was  no  other  than  of  unjust  to  be  made 
just,  through  the  grace  of  God  for  Christ."    He  men- 
tioneth  more,  but  this  may  suffice  to  our  purpose. 

§  VIII.  Having  thus  sufficiently  proved,  that  by  justifi-  Asser.  I, 
cation  is  to  be  understood  a  really  being  made  righteous, 
I  do  boldly  affirm,  and  that  not  only  from  a  notional  know- 
ledge, but  from  a  real,  inward  experimental  feeling  of  the 
thing,  That  the  immediate,  nearest,  or  formal  cause  (if  we  Christ  re- 
must  in  condescendence  to  some  use  this  word)  of  a  man's  Jbrnied  hl^ 
justification  in  the  sight  of  God,  is,  the  revelation  of  Jesus  "le  soul  of 
Christ  in  the  soul,  changing,  altering,  and  renewing  the  the  rormal 
mind,  by  whom  (even  the  author  of  this  inward  work)  thus  man'^sjLti 
formed  and  revealed,  we  are  truly  justified  and  accepted  fication. 
in  the  sight  of  God.    For  it  is  as  we  are  thus  covered  and  Pboof  I. 
clothed  with  him,  in  whom  the  Father  is  always  well 
pleased,  that  we  may  draw  near  to  God,  and  stand  with 
confidence  before  his  throne,  being  purged  by  the  blood 
of  Jesus  inwardly  poured  into  our  souls,  and  clothed  with 
his  life  and  righteousness  therein  revealed.    And  this  is 
that  order  and  method  of  salvation  held  forth  by  the  apostle 
in  that  divire  saying,  Rom.  v.  10:  "  For  if  when  we  were 
enemies,  wc  were  reconciled  to  God  by  the  death  of  his 


PROPOSITION  VII. 


Son  ;  much  more,  being  reconciled,  we  shall  be  saved  by 
his  life."  For  the  apostle  first  holding  forth  the  reconci- 
liation wrought  by  the  death  of  Christ,  wherein  God  is 
near  to  receive  and  redeem  man,  holds  forth  his  salvation 
and  justification  to  be  by  the  life  of  Jesus.  Now,  that  this 
life  is  an  inward,  spiritual  thing  revealed  in  the  soul 
whereby  it  is  renewed  and  brought  forth  out  of  death, 
where  it  naturally  has  been  by  the  fall,  and  so  quickened 
and  made  alive  unto  God,  the  same  apostle  shows,  Eph. 
ii.  5:  "  Even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins,  he  hath  quick- 
ened us  together  with  Christ  (by  whose  grace  ye  are  saved) 
and  hath  raised  us  up  together."  Now  this  none  will 
deny  to  be  the  inward  work  of  renovation,  and  therefore 
the  apostle  gives  that  reason  of  their  being  saved  by  '  ] 
which  is  the  inward  virtue  and  power  of  Christ  in  the  soul : 
but  of  this  place  more  hereafter.  Of^the  revelation  of  this 
\  inward  life  the  apostle  also  speaketh,  2  Cor.  iv.  10  :  "  That 

the  life  also  of  Jesus  might  ve  made  manifest  in  our  body  ;" 
and  ver.  11  :  "  That  the  life  also  of  Jesus  might  be  made 
manifest  in  our  mortal  flesh."  Now  this  inward  life  of 
Jesus  is  that  whereby,  as  is  before  observed,  he  said,  <<  we 
are  saved." 

Ptoor  II.      Secondly,  That  it  is  by  this  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ, 
and  the  new  creation  in  us,  that  we  are  justified,  doth  evi- 
dently appear  from  that  excellent  saying  of  the  apostle 
included  in  the  proposition  itself.  Tit.  iii.  5 :  "  According 
to  his  mercy  he  hath  saved  us,  by  the  wa:\hing  of  regene- 
ration, and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost,"  &c.    Now  that 
whereby  we  are  saved,  that  we  are  also  no  doubt  justified 
by ;  which  words  are  in  this  respect  synonymous.  Here 
The  imme-  the  apostle  clearly  ascribes  the  immediate  cause  of  justifi- 
of^usdfi'ca^-  cation  to  this  inward  work  of  regeneration,  which   is  Jesus 
tion  IS  the   Christ  revealed  in  the  soul,  as  being:  that  which  formally 

iiiward  .  .  .  °   .  . 

work  of  le-  States  US  in  a  capacity  of  being  reconciled  with  God;  the 
generatic  i.  ^.^g^^^^^      regeneration  being  that  inward  power  and  vir- 
tue, whereby  the  soul  is  cleansed,  and  clothed  with  the 
righteousness  of  Chris%  so  as  to  be  made  fit  to  appear 
before  God. 


OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


215 


Thirdly,  This  doctrine  is  manifest  from  2  Cor.  xiii.  5:  Pb.  111. 
''Examine  your  ownselves,  whether  ye  be  in  the  faith; 
prove  your  ownselves  :  know  ye  not  your  ownselves,  how 
that  Jesus  Christ  is  in  you,  except  ye  be  reprobates.'" 
First,  It  appears  here  how  earnest  the  apostle  was  that  they 
should  know  Christ  in  them  ;  so  that  he  presses  this  exhort- 
ation upon  them,  and  inculcates  it  three  times.    Secondly,  The  cause 
He  makes  the  cause  of  reprobation,  or  not-justification.  the  "j^jffj"''* 
want  of  Christ  thus  revealed  and  known  in  the  soul :  Chnst  not 

known  bv 

whereby  it  necessarily  follows,  by  the  rule  of  contraries,  inward  re- 
where  the  parity  is  alike  (as  in  this  case  it  is  evident),  that 
where  Christ  is  inwardly  known,  there  the  persons  sub- 
jected to  him  are  approved  and  justified.  For  there  can 
be  nothing  more  plain  than  this,  That  if  we  must  know 
Christ  in  us,  except  we  be  reprobates,  or  unjustified  per- 
sons ;  if  we  know  him  in  us,  we  are  not  reprobates,  and 
consequently  justified  ones.  Like  unto  this  is  that  other 
saying  of  the  same  apostle,  Gal.  iv.  19 :  "  My  little  chil- 
dren, of  whom  I  travail  in  birth  again,  until  Christ  be  formed 
in  you;"  and  therefore  the  apostle  terms  this,  "Christ 
within,  the  hope  of  glory,"  Col.  i.  27,  28.  Now  that 
which  is  the  hope  of  glory,  can  be  no  other  than  that  which 
we  immediately  and  most  nearly  rely  upon  for  our  justifi- 
cation, and  that  whereby  we  are  really  and  truly  made  just. 
And  as  we  do  not  hereby  deny,  but  (he  original  and  fun- 
damental cause  of  our  justification  is  the  love  of  God  mani- 
fested in  the  appearance  of  Jesus  Christ  in  the  flesh,  who  Christ  by 
by  his  life,  death,  sufferings,  and  obedience,  made  a  way  ilidguffer 
for  our  reconciliation,  and  became  a  sacrifice  for  the  remis-  '"8^ 

.  .  opened  a 

sion  of  sms  that  are  past,  and  purchased  unto  us  this  seed  way  tor  oiu 
and  grace,  from  which  this  birth  arises,  and  in  which  Jesus 
Christ  is  inwardly  received,  formed,  and  brought  forth  in 
us,  in  his  own  pure  and  holy  image  of  righteousness,  by 
which  our  souls  live  unto  God,  and  are  clothed  with  him, 
and  have  put  him  on,  even  as  the  scripture  speaks,  Eph. 
iv,  23,  24  ;  Gal.  iii.  27,  we  stand  justified  and  saved  in 
and  by  him,  and  by  his  Spirit  and  grace  ;  Rom.  iii.  24  ;  1 
Cor.  vi.  11  ;  Tit.  iii.  7.    So  again,  reciprocally,  we  are 


reconcilia- 
lion. 


218 


PROPOSITION  VII. 


hereby  made  partakers  of  the  fulness  of  his  ii.  /rits,  and  his 
cleansing  blood  is  near,  to  wash  away  every  sin  and  infir- 
mity, and  to  heal  all  our  backslidings,  as  often  as  we  turn 
towards  him  by  unfeigned  repentance,  and  become  renewed 
by  his  Spirit.  Those  then  that  find  him  thus  raised,  and 
ruling  in  them,  have  a  true  ground  of  hope  to  believe  that 
they  are  justified  by  his  blood.  But  let  not  any  deceive 
themselves,  so  as  to  foster  themselves  in  a  vain  hope  and 
confidence,  that  by  the  death  and  sufferings  of  Christ  they 
are  justified,  so  long  as  "sin  lies  at  their  door,"  Gen.  iv. 
7,  iniquity  prevails,  and  they  remain  yet  unrenewed  and 
unregenerate  ;  lest  it  be  said  unto  them,  "  I  know  you  not." 
Let  that  saying  of  Christ  be  remembered,  <■<■  Not  every  one 
that  saith  Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter,  but  he  that  doth  the  will 
of  ray  father,"  Matt.  vii.  21.  To  which  let  these  excellent 
sayings  of  the  beloved  disciple  be  added  ;  <■<■  Little  chil- 
dren, let  no  man  deceive  you  ;  he  that  doth  righteousness 
is  righteous,  even  as  he  is  righteous.  He  that  committeth 
sin  is  of  the  devil ;  for  if  our  heart  condemn  us,  God  is 
greater  than  our  heart  and  knoweth  all  things,"'  1  John  iii. 
7  and  20. 

Many  famous  Protestants  bear  witness  to  this  inward 
justification  by  Christ  inwardly  revealed  and  formed  in 
Boneus  in   man.    As  M.  Boraeus:  "In  the  imputation,"  saith  he, 
Gen.  p.  161.  u  wherein  Christ  is  ascribed  and  imputed  to  believers  for 
righteousness,  the  merit  of  his  blood,  and  the  Holy  Ghost 
given  unto  us  by  virtue  of  his  merits,  are  equally  included. 
And  so  it  shall  be  confessed,  '  that  Christ  is  our  righteous- 
f  he  tesu^-   ness,'  as  well  from  his  merit,  satisfaction,  and  remission  of 
famous      sins  obtained  by  him,  as  from  the  gifts  of  the  Spirit  of 
rrTnward'^  righteousness.    And  if  we  do  this,  we  shall  consider  the 
jastifica-     whole  Christ  proposed  to  us  for  our  salvation,  and  not  any 
single  part  of  him."    The  same  man,  p.  169,  "In  our 
justification  then  Christ  is  considered,  who  breathes  and 
lives  in  us,  to  wit,  by  his  Spirit  put  on  by  us ;  concerning 
which  putting  on  the  apostle  saith, '  Ye  have  put  on  Christ."' 
And  again,  p.  171 ,  "  We  endeavour  to  treat  in  justification, 
nul  of  part  of  Christ,  but  him  wholly,  in  so  far  as  he  is  ou/ 


OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


217 


righteousness  every  way."  And  a  little  after:  "As  tnen 
blessed  Paul,  in  our  justification,  when  he  saith,  <  Whom  he 
justified,  them  he  glorified,'  comprehends  all  things  which 
pertain  to  our  being  reconciled  to  God  the  Father,  and  our 
renewing,  which  fits  us  for  attaining  unto  glory,  such  as 
faith,  righteousness,  Christ,  and  the  gift  of  righteousness 
exhibited  by  him,  whereby  we  are  regenerated,  to  the  ful- 
dlling  of  the  justification  which  the  law  requires ;  so  we 
also  will  have  all  things  comprehended  in  this  cause,  which 
are  contained  in  the  recovery  of  righteousness  and  inno- 
cency  ''  And  p.  181 :  "  The  form,"  saith  he,  "  of  our  justi- 
fication is  the  divine  righteousness  itself,  by  which  we  are 
formed  just  and  good.  This  is  Jesus  Christ,  who  is 
esteemed  our  righteousness,  partly  from  the  forgiveness  of 
sins,  and  partly  from  the  renewing  and  the  restoring  of 
that  integrity,  which  was  lost  by  the  fault  of  the  first  Adam : 
so  that  this  new  and  heavenly  Adam  being  put  on  by  us, 
of  which  the  apostle  saith,  <  Ye  have  put  on  Christ,'  ye  have 
put  him  on,  I  say,  as  the  form,  so  the  righteousness,  wis- 
dom, and  life  of  God."  So  also  aflRrmeth  Claudius  Albe- 
rius  Inuncunanus,  see  his  Oral.  Jlpodid.  Lausanice  Inuncnnan 
Excus.^  1587.  Orat.  ii.,  p.  86,  87.  Zuinglius  also,  in  Zuing'.iu« 
his  epistle  to  the  princes  of  Germany,  as  cited  by  Himelius, 
c.  vii.,  p.  60,  saith,  "That  the  sanctification  of  the  Spirit 
is  true  justification,  which  alone  suffices  to  justify."  Estius,  Estius. 
upon  1  Cor.  vi.  11,  saith,  "  Lest  Christian  righteousness 
should  be  thought  to  consist  in  the  washing  alone,  that  is, 
in  the  remission  of  sins,  he  addeth  the  other  degree  or 
part,  '  but  ye  are  sanctified  ;'  that  is,  ye  have  attained  to 
purity,  so  that  ye  are  now  truly  holy  before  God.  Lastly, 
expressing  the  sum  of  the  benefit  received  in  one  word, 
which  includes  both  the  parts,  '  But  ye  are  justified,' the 
apostle  adds,  '  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,'  that 
is,  by  his  merits,  and  in  the  Spirit  of  our  God,  that  is,  the 
Holy  Spirit,  proceeding  from  God,  and  communicated  to 
us  by  Christ."  And  lastly,  Richard  Baxter,  a  famous  r  b,j,„ 
English  preacher,  in  his  book  called  Aphorisms  of  Justi- 
fication, |).  80.  s^ith  "  That  some  ignorant  wretches  gnasb 
19  2c 


PROPOSITION  Vll. 


their  teeth  at  this  doctrine,  as  if  it  were  fl  rt  Popet)  iiot 
undeistnnding  the  nature  of  the  righteousness  of  the  aew 
covenant;  which  is  all  out  if  Christ  in  ourselves,  th^mgh 
■wrought  by  the  power  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ  in  us." 
Po«.  in.  §  IX.  The  third  thing  proposed  to  be  considered  is, 
concerning  the  necessity  of  good  works  to  justification.  I 
suppose  there  is  enough  said  before  to  clear  us  from  any 
imputation  of  being  popish  in  this  matter. 
UuEev.        But  if  it  be  queried,  Whether  we  have  not  said,  or  will 

not  affirm,  that  a  man  is  justified  by  works? 
Answ.  I  answer ;  I  hope  none  need,  neither  ought  to  take 

offence,  if  in  this  matter  we  use  the  plain  language  of  the 
holy  scripture,  which  saith  expressly  in  answer  hereunto, 
Thai  works  James  ii.  24,  "Ye  see  then  how  that  by  works  a  man  is 
iaryTo  jus-  justified,  and  not  by  faith  only."   I  shall  not  offer  to  prove 
tification.    the  truth  of  this  saying,  since  what  is  said  in  this  chapter 
by  the  apostle  is  sufficient  to  convince  any  man  that  will 
read  and  believe  it ;  I  shall  only  from  this  derive  this  one 
argument : 

Abs  If  no  man  can  be  justified  without  faith,  and  no  faith  be 

jiving,  nor  yet  available  to  justification  without  works,  then 
works  are  necessary  to  justification. 
But  the  first  is  true  ;  therefore  the  last. 
For  this  truth  is  so  apparent  and  evident  in  the  scrip- 
tures, that  for  the  proof  of  it  we  might  transcribe  most  of 
the  precepts  of  the  gospel.    I  shall  instance  a  few,  which 
of  themselves  do  so  clearly  assert  the  thing  in  question, 
that  they  need  no  commentary,  nor  farther  demonstration 
And  then  I  shall  answer  the  objections  made  against  this 
which  indeed  are  the  arguments  used  for  the  contrary  opi 
nion,  Heb.  xii.  14,  "Without  holiness  no  man  shall  se* 
■^lot  the      God."    Mat.  vii,  21,  "  Not  every  one  that  saith  unto  me, 
I'heXers"'  i^ord,  Lord,  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  but 
ue  blessed,  he  that  doth  the  will  of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven." 

John  xiii.  17,  "  If  ye  know  these  things,  happy  are  ye  if 
ye  do  them."  1  Cor.  vii.  19,  "  Circumcision  is  nothing, 
and  uncircumcision  is  nothing,  but  the  keeping  of  the 
commandments  of  God."    Rev.  xxii.  14,  "  Blessed  are 


OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


219 


they  that  do  his  commandinents,  that  they  may  have  ri^hi 
to  the  tree  of  life,  and  may  enter  in  through  the  gates  into 
the  city :"  and  many  more  that  might  be  instanced.  From 
af»  which  I  thus  argue  : 

If  those  only  can  enter  into  the  kingdom  that  do  the  Aro. 
will  of  the  Father ;  if  those  be  accounted  only  the  wise 
builders  and  happy  that  do  the  sayings  of  Christ ;  if  no 
observation  avail,  but  only  the  keeping  of  the  command- 
ments ;  and  if  they  be  blessed  that  do  the  commandments, 
and  thereby  have  right  to  the  tree  of  life,  and  entrance 
through  the  gates  into  the  city ;  then  works  are  absolutely 
necessary  to  salvation  and  justification  : 

But  the  first  is  true ;  and  therefore  also  the  last. 

The  consequence  of  the  antecedent  is  so  clear  and  evi- 
dent, that  I  think  no  man  of  sound  reason  will  call  for  a 
proof  of  it. 

§  X.  But  they  object.  That  works  are  not  necessary  to  Obj.  1. 
justification  :  First,  because  of  that  saying  of  Christ,  Luke 
xvii.  10,  "  When   ye  shall  have  done  all  these  things  Unprolit 
that  are  commanded  you,  say,  we  are  unprofitable  ser-  vants!"' 
vants,"  &c. 

Answer ;  As  to  God  we  are  indeed  unprofitable,  for  he  Answ. 
needeth  nothing,  neither  can  we  add  any  thing  unto  him  :  ethnotliiiig 
but  as  to  ourselves,  we  are  not  unprofitable  ;  else  it  might 
be  said,  that  it  is  not  profitable  for  a  man  to  keep  God's 
commandments  ;  which  is  most  absurd,  and  would  con- 
tradict Christ's  doctrine  throughout.     Doth  not  Christ, 
Mat.  v.,  through  all  those  beatitudes,  pronounce  men 
blessed  for  their  purity,  for  their  meekness,  for  their 
peaceableness,  &c.  ?  And  is  not  then  that  for  which  Christ 
pronounceth  men  blessed,  profitable  unto  them  ?    More-  Those  that 
over.  Mat.  xxv.  21,  23,  Doth  not  Christ  pronounce  the  proved' 
men  "good  and  faithful  servants"  that  improved  their  ta-  their ta- 

I        ■>     iir  1    •      I  •  f    1        1  r>    1  1  lents,  were 

lents.-"    Was  not  their  doing  of  that  then  profitable  unto  called  good 

them?   And  ver.  30,  it  is  said  of  him  that  hid  his  talent,  servS*^ 

and  did  not  improve  it,  '<  Cast  ye  the  unprofitable  servant 

into  utter  darkness."   If  tlien  not  iniprovinji  of  tlio  talon 

made  the  man  unprofitablr,  ;ind  he  was  therefore  cast  into 


22C 


PROPOSITION  VII. 


utter  darkness,  it  will  follow  by  the  rule  of  contraries,  so 
far  at  least  that  the  improving  made  the  other  profitable ; 
seeing,  if  our  adversaries  will  allow  us  to  believe  Chiist's 
words,  this  is  made  a  reason,  and  so  at  least  a  cause  in- 
strumental of  their  acceptance  ;  "  Well  done,  good  and 
faithful  servant,  thou  hast  been  faithful  over  a  few  things, 
I  will  make  thee  ruler  over  many  things ;  enter  thou  into 
the  joy  of  thy  Lord." 

Obj.  2.  Secondly,  They  object  those  sayings  of  the  apostle, 
where  he  excludes  the  deeds  of  the  law  from  justification  ; 
as  first,  Rom.  iii.  20,  <■<■  Therefore  by  the  deeds  of  the  law 
there  shall  no  flesh  be  justified  in  his  sight."  And  verse 
28,  "  Therefore  we  conclude,  that  a  man  is  justified  by 
faith,  without  the  deeds  of  the  law." 

Aws.  1.  Answer:  We  have  shown  already  what  place  we  give  to 
works,  even  to  the'best  of  works,  in  justification  ;  and  how 
we  ascribe  its  immediate  and  formal  cause  to  the  worker 
brought  forth  ia  us,  but  not  to  the  works.  But  in  answer 
to  this  objection,  I  say,  there  is  a  great  difference  betwixt 

The  works  tlie  works  of  the  law,  and  those  of  grace,  or  of  the  gospel. 

pd  orfrace  '^'^^  ^'^^^  ^"^^  excluded,  the  second  not,  but  are  necessary. 

distinguish-  The  first  are  those  which  are  performed  in  man's  own  will, 

those  of  the  and  by  his  strength,  in  a  conformity  to  the  outward  law 
and  letter ;  and  therefore  are  man's  own  imperfect  works, 
or  works  of  the  law,  which  makes  nothing  perfect :  and  to 
this  belong  all  the  ceremonies,  purifications,  washings,  and 
traditions  of  the  Jews.  The  second  are  the  works  of  the 
Spirit  of  grace  in  the  heart,  wrought  in  conformity  to  the 
inward  and  spiritual  law  ;  which  works  are  not  wrought  in 
man's  will,  nor  by  his  power  and  ability,  but  in  and  by  the 
power  and  Spirit  of  Christ  in  us,  and  therefore  are  pure 
and  perfect  iu  their  kind,  as  shall  hereafter  be  proved,  and 
may  be  called  Christ's  works,  for  that  he  is  the  immediate 
author  and  worker  of  them:  such  works  we  affirm  abso- 
lutely necessary  to  justification,  so  that  a  man  cannot  be 
justified  without  them  ;  and  all  faith  without  them  is  dead 
and  useless,  as  the  apostle  James  saith.  Now,  that  such 
a  distinction  is  to  be  admitted,  and  that  the  works  excluded 


OF  JUSTIFICATION, 


221 


oy  tlie  aposile  iii  the  matter  of  justification  sre  of  the  first 
kind,  will  appear,  if  we  consider  the  occasion  of  the 
apostle's  mentioning  this,  as  well  here,  as  throughout  his 
epistle  to  the  Galatians,  where  he  speaks  of  this  matter  and 
to  this  purpose  at  large :  which  was  this,  That  whereas 
many  of  the  Gentiles,  that  were  not  of  the  race  or  seed  of 
Abraham,  as  concerning  the  flesh,  were  come  to  be  con- 
verted to  the  Christian  faith,  and  to  believe  in  him,  some 
of  those,  that  were  of  the  Jewish  proselytes,  thought  to 
subject  the  faithful  and  believing  Gentiles  to  the  legal 
ceremonies  and  observations,  as  necessary  to  their  justifi- 
cation :  this  gave  the  apostle  Paul  occasion  at  length,  in  The  occa- 
his  epistle  to  the  Romans,  Galatians,  and  elsewhere,  to  aposUe's** 

show  the  use  and  tendency  of  the  law,  and  of  its  works,  speakinso 

•'  '  .  .  '  the  workB 

and  to  contra-distinguish  them  from  the  faith  of  Christ,  and  of  the  law 

the  righteousness  thereof;  showing  how  the  former  was  ^x'c'iuded* 
ceased  and  become  ineffectual,  the  other  remaining,  and 
yet  necessary.  And  that  the  works  excluded  by  the  apostle 
are  of  this  kind  of  works  of  the  law,  appears  by  the  whole 
strain  of  his  epistle  to  the  Galatians,  chap,  i.,  ii.,  iii.,  and 
iv.  For  after,  in  chap,  iv.,  he  upbraideth  them  for  their 
teturning  unto  the  observation  of  days  and  times,  and  that, 
in  the  beginning  of  chap,  v.,  he  showeth  them  their  folly, 
and  the  evil  consequence  of  adhering  to  the  ceremonies  of 
circumcision,  then  he  adds,  ver.  6,  '<  For  in  Christ  Jesus 
neither  circumcision  nor  uncircumcision  availeth,  but  faith, 
which  worketh  by  love  ;"  and  thus  he  concludes  again, 
chap.  vi.  ver.  15,  "  For  in  Christ  Jesus  neither  circumci- 
sion availeth,  nor  uncircumcision,  but  a  new  creature." 
From  which  places  appeareth  that  distinction  of  works  be- 
fore mentioned,  whereof  the  one  is  excluded,  the  other 
necessary  to  justification.  For  the  apostle  showeth  here, 
that  circumcision,  which  word  is  often  used  to  compre- 
hend the  whole  ceremonies  and  legal  performances  of  the 
Jews,  is  not  necessary,  nor  doth  avail.  Here  then  are  the 
works  which  are  excluded,  by  which  no  man  is  justified; 
but  faith,  which  worketh  by  love,  but  the  new  creature, 
this  is  that  which  availeth,  which  is  absolutely  necessary : 
19»  . 


222 


PROPOSITION  VII. 


The  uoefiil 
ncss  and 
necessity 
of  good 
works. 


Ans.  2. 


Justified 
not  by  our 
legal  per- 
formances, 
but  the 
fruit  of  the 
Bpirit. 


for  faith,  that  worketh  by  love,  cannot  be  without  works . 
for,  as  it  is  said  in  the  same  5th  chapter,  ver.  22,  love 
is  a  work  of  the  Spirit ;  also  the  new  creature,  if  it  avail 
and  be  necessary,  cannot  be  without  works ;  seeing  it  is 
natural  for  it  to  bring  forth  works  of  righteousness.  Again, 
that  the  apostle  no  ways  intends  to  exclude  such  good 
works  appears,  in  that  in  the  same  epistle  he  exhorts  the 
Galatians  to  them,  and  holds  forth  the  usefulness  and  ne- 
cessity of  them,  and  that  very  plainly,  chap.  vi.  ver.  7,  8, 
9:  "Be  not  deceived,"  saith  he,  "God  is  not  mocked; 
for  whatsoever  a  man  soweth,  that  shall  he  also  reap :  for 
he  that  soweth  to  the  flesh,  shall  of  the  flesh  reap  corrup- 
tion ;  but  he  that  soweth  to  the  Spirit,  shall  of  the  Spirit 
reap  life  everlasting.  And  let  us  not  be  weary  in  well- 
doing, for  in  due  season  we  shall  reap,  if  we  faint  not.  " 
Doth  it  not  hereby  appear,  how  necessary  the  apostle  would 
have  the  Galatians  know  that  he  esteemed  good  works  to 
be  ?  To  wit,  not  the  outward  ceremonies  and  traditions 
of  the  law,  but  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  mentioned  a  little 
before  ;  by  which  Spirit  he  would  have  them  to  be  led,  and 
walk  in  those  good  works :  as  also,  how  much  he  ascribed 
to  these  good  works,  by  which  he  affirms  life  everlasting  is 
reaped.  Now,  that  cannot  be  useless  to  man's  justifica- 
tion, which  capacitates  him  to  reap  so  rich  a  harvest. 

But  lastly  ;  For  a  full  answer  to  this  objection,  and  for 
the  establishing  of  this  doctrine  of  good  works,  I  shall 
instance  another  saying  of  the  same  apostle  Paul,  which 
our  adversaries  also  in  the  blindness  of  their  minds  make 
use  of  against  us;  to  wit,  Tit.  iii.  5:  "Not  by  works  of 
righteousness  which  we  have  done,  but  according  to  his 
mercy  he  saved  us,  by  the  washing  of  regeneration,  and 
renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  It  is  generally  granted  by 
all,  that  saved  is  here  all  one  as  if  it  had  been  said  justi' 
jied.  Now  there  are  two  kinds  of  works  here  mentioned : 
one  by  which  we  are  not  saved,  that  is,  not  justified  ;  and 
another  by  which  we  are  saved,  or  justified.  The  first,  the 
works  of  righteousness  which  we  have  wrought,  that  is, 
which  we  in  our  first  fallen  nature,  by  our  own  strength, 


OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


223 


have  wrought,  our  own  legal  performances,  and  therefore 
may  truly  and  properly  be  called  ours,  whatever  spec  ious 
appearances  they  may  have.  And  that  it  must  needs  and 
ought  to  be  so  understood,  doth  appear  from  the  other 
part:  "By  the  washing  of  regeneration,  and  renewing  of 
the  Holy  Ghost ;"  seeing  regeneration  is  a  work,  compre- 
hensive of  many  good  works,  even  of  all  those  which  are 
called  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit. 

Now  in  case  it  should  be  objected,  That  these  may  also  OBJEirr. 
be  called  ours,  because  wrought  in  us,  and  also  by  us 
many  times  as  instruments  ; 

I  answer;  It  is  far  otherwise  than  the  former:  for  in  the  Answ. 
first  we  are  yet  alive  in  our  own  natural  state,  unrenewed, 
working  of  ourselves,  seeking  to  save  ourselves,  by  imi- 
tating and  endeavouring  a  conformity  to  the  outward  letter 
of  the  law ;  and  so  wrestling  and  striving  in  the  carnal 
mind,  that  is  enmity  to  God,  and  in  the  cursed  will  not  yet 
subdued.  But  in  this  second  we  are  "crucified  with 
Christ,"  we  are  become  "  dead  with  him,"  have  "  par- 
taken of  the  fellowship  of  his  sufierings,"  are  made  "  con- 
formable to  his  death  and  our  first  man,  our  "  old  man 
with  all  his  deeds,"  as  well  the  openly  wicked  as  the  seem- 
ingly righteous,  our  legal  endeavours  and  foolish  wrestlings, 
are  all  buried  and  nailed  to  the  cross  of  Christ ;  and  so 
\t  is  no  more  we,  but  Christ  alive  in  us,  the  worker  in  Not  we.bui 
as.  So  that  though  it  be  we  in  a  sense,  yet  it  is  accord-  is  the  work* 
ing  to  that  of  the  apostle  to  the  same  Galatians,  ch.  ii.,  ver.  '^'^  °^  "S''' 

.  .  .  eousnesa. 

20  :  "I  am  crucified  with  Christ,  nevertheless  I  live,  yet  not 
I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me  ;"  not  I,  but  the  grace  of  Christ  in 
me.  These  works  are  especially  to  be  ascribed  to  the  Spirit 
of  Christ,  and  the  grace  of  God  in  us,  as  being  immediately 
tl  ereby  acted  and  led  in  them,  and  enabled  to  perform 
them.  And  this  manner  of  speech  is  not  strained,  but 
familiar  to  the  apostles,  as  appears.  Gal.  ii.  8:  "For  he 
that  wrought  effectually  in  Peter  to  the  apostleship  of  the 
circumcision,  the  same  was  mighty  in  me,"  &c.  Phil.  ii. 
13:  "  For  it  is  God  which  worketh  in  you,  both  to  will 
and  to  do,"  &c.^    So  that  it  appears  by  this  place,  that 


224 


PROPOSITION  VII. 


Since  the  washing  of  regeneration  is  necessary  to  justifi- 
cation, and  that  regeneration  comprehends  works,  works 
are  necessary  ;  and  that  these  works  of  the  law  that  are 
excluded,  are  different  from  these  that  are  necessaiy  end 
admitted. 

Ow.B.  §  XI.  Thirdly,  They  object  that  no  works,  yea,  nol  the 

works  of  Christ  in  us,  can  have  place  in  justification,  be- 
cause nothing  that  is  impure  can  be  useful  in  it ;  and  all 
the  works  wrought  in  us  are  impure.  For  this  they  allege 
that  saying  of  the  prophet  Isaiah,  Ixiv.  6 :  "  All  our 
righteousnesses  are  as  filthy  rags ;"  adding  this  reason, 
"  That  seeing  we  are  impure,  so  must  our  works  be  ;  which 
though  good  in  themselves,  yet  as  performed  by  us,  they 
receive  a  tincture  of  impurity,  even  as  clean  water  passing 
through  an  unclean  pipe  is  defiled." 

Aas.!.  That  no  impure  works  are  useful  to  justification  is  con- 
fessed ;  but  that  all  the  works  wrought  in  the  saints  are 
such  is  denied.  And  for  answer  to  this,  the  former  dis- 
tinction will  serve.  We  confess,  that  the  first  sort  of  works 
above  mentioned  are  impure  ;  but  not  the  second  :  because 
the  first  are  wrought  in  the  unrenewed  state,  but  not  the 
other.    And  as  for  that  of  Isaiah,  it  must  relate  to  the  first 

What  sort  kind  :  for  though  he  saith,  "  All  our  righteousnesses  are  as 
of  ri  ht 

eousness  is  fi'thj  '"ags,"  yet  that  will  not  comprehend  the  righteousness 

as  filihy  of  Christ  in  us,  but  only  that  which  we  work  of  and  by 
rags.  •  J  J 

ourselves.  For  should  we  so  conclude,  then  it  would  fol- 
low, that  we  should  throw  away  all  holiness  and  righteous- 
ness ;  since  that  which  is  as  filthy  rags,  and  as  a  menstru- 
ous  garment,  ought  to  be  thrown  away  ;  yea,  it  would  fol- 
low, that  all  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  mentioned  Gal.  v., 
were  as  filthy  rags :  whereas,  on  the  contrary,  some  of  the 
works  of  the  saints  are  said  to  have  a  '<  sweet  savour  in 
the  nostrils  of  the  Lord  ;"  are  said  to  be  an  '<  ornament  of 
great  price  in  the  sight  of  God  ;"  are  said  to  «'  prevail  with 
him,"  and  to  be  "  acceptable  to  him  ;"  which  filthy  rags 
and  a  menstruous  garment  cannot  be.  Yea,  many  famous 
Protestants  have  acknowledged,  that  this  place  is  not  there- 
fore so  to  be  understood.    Calvin  upon  jhis  place  saith, 


OF  JDSTIFICATION. 


8S6 


»•  That  it  is  ised  to  be  cited  by  some,  that  they  may  prove  Calvin  and 
tliere  is  so  little  merit  in  our  works,  that  thev  are  before  sense^con-'"^ 

God  filthy  and  defiled;  but  this  seems  to  me  to  be  differ-  ceminglsa. 

.  .  .  Ixiv.  6,  of 

ent  from  the  prophet's  mind,"  saith  he,  "  seeing  he  speaks  our  right- 
not  here  of  all  mankind."    Musculus  upon  this  place  saith, 
*'  That  it  was  usual  for  this  people  to  presume  much  of  Musculus 
their  legal  righteousness,  as  if  thereby  they  were  made 
clean ;  nevertheless,  they  had  no  more  cleanness  than  the 
unclean  garment  of  a  man.    Others  expound  this  place 
concerning  all  the  righteousness  of  our  flesh  ;  that  opinion 
indeed  is  true ;  yet  I  think  that  the  prophet  did  rather  ac- 
commodate these  sayings  to  the  impurity  of  that  people  in 
legal  terras."    The  author  (commonly  supposed  Bertius),  Bertius, 
speaking  concerning  the  true  sense  of  the  7th  chapter  of  pr^'fixte* 
the  epistle  to  the  Romans,  hath  a  digression  touching  this  dissert, 
of  Isaiah,  saying ;  "  This  place  is  commonly  corrupted  by 
a  pernicious  wresting:  for  it  is  still  alleged,  as  if  the 
meaning  thereof  inferred  the  most  excellent  works  of  the 
best  Christians,"  &l.    James  Coret,  a  French  minister  in  Jas.  Coret 
the  church  of  Basil,  in  his  Apology  concerning  Justification  ^ress./"™' 

against  Alescales,  saith  :  <<  Nevertheless,  according-  to  the  ^<^ria,  ann. 

'  o  1597i  p.  78 

counsel  of  certain  good  men,  I  must  admonish  the  reader, 

that  it  never  came  into  our  minds  to  abuse  that  saying  of 

Isaiah,  Ixiv.  6,  against  good  works,  in  which  it  is  said, 

that  «  all  our  righteousnesses  are  as  filthy  rags,'  as  if  we 

would  have  that  which  is  good  in  our  good  works,  and 

proceedeth  from  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  be  esteemed  as  a  filthy 

and  unclean  thing." 

§  XII.  As  to  the  other  part.  That  seeing  the  best  of 

men  are  still  impure  and  imperfect,  therefore  their  works 

must  be  so  ;  it  is  to  beg  the  question,  and  depends  upon 

a  proposition  denied ;  and  which  is  to  be  discussed  at 

farther  length  in  the  next  proposition.     But  though  we 

should  suppose  a  man  not  thoroughly  perfect  in  all  respects, 

yet  will  not  that  hinder,  but  good  and  perfect  works  in 

their  kind  may  be  brought  forth  in  him  by  the  Spirit  of 

Christ :  neither  doth  the  example  of  water  going  through 

an  unclean  pipe  hit  the  matter ;  because  though  water  may 

2d 


226 


PROPOSITION  VII. 


be  capable  to  be  tinctured  with  uncleanness,  yet  the  Spirit 
of  God  cannot,  whom  we  assert  to  be  the  immediate  authoi 
of  those  works  that  avail  in  justification  :  and  therefore 
Jesus  Christ's  works  in  his  children  are  pure  and  perfect, 
and  he  worketh  in  and  through  that  pure  thing  of  his  own 
forming  and  creating  in  them.  Moreover,  if  this  did  hold, 
according  to  our  adversaries'  supposition.  That  no  man  ever 
was  or  can  be  perfect,  it  would  follow,  that  the  very  mira- 
Werc  the  cles  and  works  of  the  apostles,  which  Christ  wrought  in 
and^works  ^"^  ^^^J  wrought  in  and  by  the  power,  Spirit  and 

of  the        grace  of  Christ,  were  also  impure  and  imperfect;  such  as 
wrought  by  their  converting  of  the  nations  to  the  Christian  faith  ;  their 
of^Ch^risrin  gathering  of  the  churches,  their  writing  of  the  holy  scrip- 
them,  im-   tures ;  yea,  and  their  ofTering  up  and  sacrificing  of  their 
HniTerfect?  lives  for  the  testimony  of  Jesus.    What  may  our  adver- 
saries think  of  this  argument,  whereby  it  will  follow,  that 
the  holy  scriptures,  whose  perfection  and  excellency  they 
seem  so  much  to  magnify,  are  proved  to  be  impure  and 
imperfect,  because  they  came  through  impure  and  imper- 
fect vessels  ?    It  appears  by  the  confessions  of  Protestants, 
that  the  Fathers  did  frequently  attribute  unto  works  of  this 
kind  that  instrumental  work,  which  we  have  spoken  of  in 
justification,  albeit  some  ignorant  persons  cry  out  it  is 
Popery,  and  also  divers,  and  that  famous  Protestants,  do 
A.  Polan.    of  themselves  confess  it.    Amandus  Polanus,  in  his  Sym 
phonia  Catholica,  cap.  27,  de  Remissione  Peccatorum,  p. 
Our  doc-    651,  places  this  thesis  as  the  common  opinion  of  Protest- 
tificatbn"^'  ^"^Sj  '"o^t  agreeable  to  the  doctrine  of  the  Fathers :  "  We 
and  works  obtain  the  remission  of  sins  by  repentance,  confession, 

IS  not  Po-  ^■        r  r  ■  ^      y  3 

pery.  prayers,  and  tears,  proceeding  from  faith,  but  do  not  merit, 
to  speak  properly;  and  therefore  we  obtain  remission  of 
sins,  not  by  the  merit  of  our  repentance  and  prayers,  but 
Gentiletus  by  the  mtrcy  and  goodness  of  God."  Innocentius  Gen- 
Gen"T5ir  ^i't^tus,  a  lawyer  of  great  fame  among  Protestants,  in  his 
Examen  of  the  Council  of  Trent,  p.  66,  67,  of  justifica- 
tion, having  before  spoken  of  faith  and  works,  adds  these 
words  :  "  But  seeing  the  one  cannot  be  without  the  other, 
we  call  them  both  conjunctly  instrument il  causes."  Zan 


OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


22" 


chius,  in  his  fifth  book,  De  JYaturd  Dei,  saith  ;  "  We  do  Zanchius. 
not  simply  deny,  that  good  works  are  the  cause  of  salva- 
tion, to  wit,  the  instrumental,  rather  than  the  efficient  cause, 
which  they  call  sine  qua  nony    And  afterwards,  "  Good 
works  are  the  instrumental  cause  of  the  possession  of  life 
eternal :  for  by  these,  as  by  a  means  and  a  lawful  way, 
God  leads  unto  the  possession  of  life  eternal."    G.  Ame-  g.  Ames, 
sius  saith,  "  That  our  obedience,  albeit  it  be  not  the  prin-  g  Theolo*! 
cipal  and  meritorious  cause  of  life  eternal,  is  nevertheless  s'*- '■  "• 

c  1  1  n6s. 

a  cause  in  some  respect,  administering,  helping,  and  advan-  xxx. 
cing  towards  the  possession  of  the  life."  Also  Richard  R-  Baxter. 
Baxter,  in  his  book  above  cited,  p.  155,  saith,  "That  we 
are  justified  by  works  in  the  same  kind  of  causality  as  by 
faith,  to  wit,  as  being  both  causes  sine  qua  non,  or  con- 
ditions of  the  new  covenant  on  our  part  requisite  to  justi- 
fication." And  p.  195,  he  saith,  "  It  is  needless  to  teach 
any  scholar,  who  hath  read  the  writings  of  Papists,  how 
this  doctrine  differs  from  them." 

But  lastly.  Because  it  is  fit  here  to  say  something  of  the  Of  the  me- 
m.erit  and  reward  of  works,  I  shall  add  something  in  this  ward  of  *' 
place  of  our  sense  and  belief  concerning  that  matter.    We  works, 
are  far  from  thinking  or  believing,  that  man  merits  any  thing 
by  his  works  from  God,  all  being  of  free  grace  ;  and  there- 
fore do  we,  and  always  have  denied  that  Popish  notion  of 
meritum  ex  condigno.    Nevertheless  we  cannot  deny,  but 
that  God,  out  of  his  infinite  goodness  wherewith  he  hath 
loved  mankind,  after  he  communicates  to  him  his  holy 
Grace  and  Spirit,  doth,  according  to  his  own  will,  recon)-  God  re- 
pense  and  reward  the  good  works  of  his  children  ;  and  goJdVorki 
therefore  this  merit  of  congruity  or  reward,  in  so  far  as  the  ofiischil- 
scripture  is  piam  and  positive  for  it,  we  may  not  deny  ; 
neither  wholly  reject  the  word,  in  so  far  as  the  scripture 
makes  use  of  it.    For  the  same  Greek  a|iov,  which  signifies 
merit,  is  also  in  those  places  where  the  translators  express 
it  worth,  or  worthy,  as  Mat.  iii.  8  ;  1  Thess.  ii.  12  ;  2  Thess. 
1.  5,  11.    Concerning  which  R.  Baxter  saith,  in  the  book 
above  cited,  p.  8,  "  But  in  a  larger  sense,  as  promise  is  an 
obligation,  and  the  thing  promised  is  said  to  be  debt,  so 


228 


PROPOSITION  VII. 


the  performers  of  the  conditions  are  called  worthy,  and  that 
which  they  perform  merit;  although  properly  all  be  of 
grace,  and  not  of  debt."  Also  those,  who  are  called  the 
leathers  of  the  church,  frequently  used  this  word  of  ineiit, 
whose  sayings  concerning  this  matter  I  think  not  needful 
to  insert,  because  it  is  not  doubted,  but  evident,  that  many 
Protestants  are  not  averse  from  this  word,  in  the  sense  that 
we  use  it.  The  apology  for  the  Augustan  confession,  art. 
20,  hath  these  words  ;  "  We  agree  that  works  are  truly 
meritorious,  not  of  remission  of  sins,  or  justification  ;  but 
they  are  meritorious  of  other  rewards  corporal  and  spiritual, 
which  are'  indeed  as  well  in  this  life,  as  after  this  life." 
And  further,  Seeing  works  are  a  certain  fulfilling  of  the 
law,  they  are  rightly  said  to  be  meritorious  ;  it  is  rightly 
said,  that  a  reward  is  due  to  them." 
Conference  In  the  acts  of  the  conference  of  Oldenhurgh,  the  electoral 
burgh.  divines,  p.  110  and  265,  say,  "  In  this  sense  our  churches 
also  are  not  averse  from  the  word  meint  used  by  the  Fathers ; 
neither  therefore  do  they  defend  the  Popish  doctrine  of 
merit." 

G.  Vossius,  G.  Vossius,  in  his  theological  thesis  concerning  the 
"merit.  merits  of  good  works,  saith  ;  "  We  have  not  adventured  to 
condemn  the  word  inerit  wholly,  as  being  .hat  which  both 
many  of  the  ancients  use,  and  also  the  reformed  churches 
have  used  in  their  confessions.  Now  that  God  judgeth  and 
accepteth  men  according  to  their  works,  is  beyond  doubt 
to  those  that  seriously  will  read  and  consider  these  scrip- 
tures," Mat.  xvi.  27;  Rom.  ii.  6,  7,  10;  2  Cor.  v.  10; 
James  i.  25  ;  Heb.  x.  35  ;  1  Pet.  i.  17  ;  Rev.  xxii.  12, 

§  XIII.  And  to  conclude  this  proposition,  let  none  be 
so  bold  as  to  mock  God,  supposing  themselves  justified 
and  accepted  in  the  sight  of  God,  by  virtue  of  Christ's 
death  and  sufferings,  while  they  remain  unsanctified  and 
Job.  Tiii  unjustified  in  their  own  hearts,  and  polluted  in  their  sins, 
lest  their  hope  prove  that  of  the  hypocrite,  which  perisheth. 
Neither  let  any  foolishly  imagine,  that  they  can  by  their 
own  works,  or  by  the  performance  of  any  ceremonies  or 
traditions,  or  by  the  giving  of  gold  or  money,  or  by  afflict- 


OF  PERFECTION. 


229 


ing  their  bodies  in  will-worship  and  voluntary  numility,  or  The  hope 
foolishly  striving  to  conform  their  way  to  the  outward  letter  pocrhe"^ 
of  the  law,  flatter  themselves  that  they  merit  before  God,  or  ^^^}\  , 

'  .  perish,  hill 

draw  a  debt  upon  him,  or  that  any  man  or  men  have  power  grace  is  lo 
to  make  such  kind  of  things  effectual  to  their  justification, 
lest  they  be  found  foolish  boasters  and  strangers  to  Christ 
and  his  righteousness  indeed.  But  blessed  for  ever  are 
they,  that  having  truly  had  a  sense  of  their  own  unworthi- 
ness  and  sinfulness,  and  having  seen  all  their  own  endea- 
vours and  performances  fruitless  and  vain,  and  beheld  their 
own  emptiness,  and  the  vanity  of  their  vain  hopes,  faith, 
and  confidence,  while  they  remained  inwardly  pricked, 
pursued,  and  condemned  by  God's  holy  witness  in  their 
hearts,  and  so  having  applied  themselves  thereto,  and  suf- 
fered his  grace  to  work  in  them,  are  become  changed  and 
renewed  in  the  spirit  of  their  minds,  passed  from  death  to 
life,  and  know  Jesus  arisen  in  them,  working  both  the  will 
and  the  deed  ;  and  so  having  "  put  on  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,"  in  effect  are  clothed  with  him,  and  partake  of  his 
righteousness  and  nature  ;  such  can  draw  near  to  the  Lord 
with  boldness,  and  know  their  acceptance  in  and  by  him  ; 
in  whom,  and  in  as  many  as  are  found  in  him,  the  Father 
is  well  pleased. 


PROPOSITION  VIII. 

Concerning  Perfection. 

In  whom  this  pure  and  holy  birth  is  fully  brought  forth, 
the  body  of  death  and  sin  comes  to  be  crucified  and 
removed,  and  their  hearts  united  and  subjected  to  the 
truth  ;  so  as  not  to  obey  any  suggestions  or  temptations 
of  the  evil  one,  but  to  be  free  from  actual  sinning  and 
transgressing  of  the  law  of  God,  and  in  that  respect  per- 
fect: yet  doth  this  perfection  still  admit  of  a  growth ; 
and  there  remaineth  always  in  some  part  a  possibility  of 
sinning,  where  the  mind  doth  not  most  diligently  and 
watchfully  attend  unto  the  Lord. 
20 


PR5P  )SITION  VIII. 


§  r.  Since  we  have  placed  justification  in  the  .evelation 
of  Jesus  Christ  formed  and  brought  forth  in  the  heart, 
there  worliing  his  works  of  righteousness,  and  bringing 
forth  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  the  question  is,  How  far  he 
may  prevail  in  us  while  we  are  in  this  life,  or  we  over  our 
souls, enemies,  in  and  by  his  strength  ?  Those  that  plead 
for  justification  wholly  without  them,  merely  by  imputative 
righteousness,  denying  'he  necessity  of  being  clothed  with 
real  and  inward  righteousness,  do  consequently  affirm, 
These  are  "  That  it  is  impossible  for  a  man,  even  the  best  of  men,  to 
of^heWest-      ^""^^  '^^  ^^'^        ^hich,  they  say,  no  man  ever 

minster      was ;  but  on  the  contrary,  that  none  can,  neither  of  him- 
chism.'^'"*'  self,  nor  by  any  grace  received  in  this  life,  [0  wicked  say- 
ing against  the  power  of  God's  grace,]  keep  the  command- 
ments of  God  perfectly ;  but  that  every  man  doth  break 
the  commandments  in  thought,  word  and  deed ;"  whence 
Whether  it  they  also  affirm,  as  was  a  little  before  observed,  "That 
lo  keTpVhe       ^^^Y  ^^^^  actions  of  the  saints,  their  prayers,  their  wor- 
command-  ships  are  impure  and  polluted."    We  on  the  contrary, 
God?        though  we  freely  acknowledge  this  of  the  natural  fallen 
man,  in  his  first  state,  whatever  his  profession  or  pretence 
may  be,  so  long  as  he  is  unconverted  and  unregenerate, 
yet  we  do  believe,  that  to  those  in  whom  Christ  comes  to 
Part  I.      be  formed,  and  the  new  man  brought  forth,  and  born  of 
the  incorruptible  seed,  as  that  birth,  and  man  in  union 
therewith,  naturally  doth  the  will  of  God,  it  is  possible  so 
far  to  keep  to  it,  as  not  to  be  found  daily  transgressors  of 
Controver-  the  law  of  God.    And  for  the  more  clear  stating  of  the 
sy  Slated,    controversy,  let  it  be  considered  : 

Notional        §  II.  First,  That  we  place  not  this  possibility  m  man's 
knowledge.        ^^jn         capacity,  as  he  is  a  man,  the  son  of  fallen 
Adam,  or  as  he  is  in  his  natural  state,  however  wise  or 
knowing,  or  however  much  endued  with  a  notional  and 
literal  knowledge  of  Christ,  thereby  endeavouring  a  con- 
formity to  the  letter  of  the  law,  as  it  is  outward. 
The  a  w        Secondly,  That  we  attribute  it  wholly  to  man,  as  he  is 
birth.        \)orn  again,  renewed  in  his  mind,  raised  by  Christ,  know- 
ing Christ  alive,  reigning  and  ruling  in  him,  and  guiding 


OF  PERFECTION. 


231 


and  leading  him  by  his  Spirit,  and  revealing'-  in  him  the 
law  of  the  Spirit  of  life ;  which  not  only  manifests  and  re- 
proves sin,  but  also  gives  power  to  come  out  of  it. 

Thirdly,  That  by  this  we  understand  not  such  a  perfec-  Growth  in 
tion  as  may  not  daily  admit  of  a  growth,  and  conseque.itly  P'"^'^*"'*" 
mean  not  as  if  we  were  to  be  as  pure,  holy,  and  perfect  as 
God  in  his  divine  attributes  of  wisdom,  knowledge,  and 
purity  ;  but  only  a  perfection  proportionable  and  answer- 
able to  man's  measure,  whereby  we  are  kept  from  trans- 
gressing the  law  of  God,  and  enabled  to  answer  what  he 
requires  of  us;  even  as  he  that  improved  his  two  talents  He  that  im. 
so  as  to  make  four  of  them,  perfected  his  work,  and  was  {'w°o'talenfa 

so  accepted  of  his  Lord  as  to  be  called  a  "good  and  faith-  wasnothing 
^  ,  "      .  less  accept 

ful  servant,"  nothing  less  than  he  that  made  his  five  ten.  able  than 

Even  as  a  little  gold  is  perfect  gold  in  its  kind,  as  well  as  gve^"** 

a  great  mass,  and  a  child  hath  a  perfect  body  as  well  as  a 

man,  though  it  daily  grow  more  and  more.    Thus  Christ 

is  said,  Luke  ii.  52,  to  have  "  increased  in  wisdom  and 

stature,  and  in  favour  with  God  and  man  ;"  though  before 

that  time  he  had  never  sinned,  and  was  no  doubt  perfect, 

in  a  true  and  proper  sense. 

Fourthly,  Though  a  man  may  witness  this  for  a  season, 

and  therefore  all  ought  to  press  after  it ;  yet  we  do  not 

affirm  but  those  that  have  attained  it  in  a  measure  may,  by 

the  wiles  and  temptations  of  the  enemy,  fall  into  iniquity.  Wiles  oi 

and  lose  it  sometimes,  if  they  be  not  watchful,  and  do  not  '''^^"*'"J' 

diligently  attend  to  that  of  God  in  the  heart.    And  we 

doubt  not  but  many  good  and  holy  men,  who  have  arrived  Every  sin 

t(   everlasting  life,  have  had  divers  ebbings  and  flowings  ^nan''i^"hig 

of  liiia  kind  ;  for  though  every  sin  weakens  a  man  in  his  s'P'i'''.".al 

...  ,.  •  •      1     1  condition, 

.spiritual  condition,  yet  it  doth  not  so  as  to  destroy  him  inn  doth 
altogether,  or  render  him  incapable  of  rising  again.  Ilhii'^aho"' 

Lastly,  Though  I  affirm,  that  after  a  man  hath  arrived  at  gether. 
such  a  state,  in  which  he  may  be  able  not  to  sin,  yet  he  Righteou- 
may  sin  :  nevertheless,  I  will  not  affirm  that  a  state  is  not  come'n'a- 
attainable  in  this  life,  in  which  to  do  righteousness  may  be 
so  natural  to  the  regenerate  soul,  that  in  the  stability  of 
*hat  condition  he  cannot  sin.    Others  may  speak  more 


232  PROPOSITION  VIII, 

certainly  of  this  state,  if  they  have  arrived  at  it.  With 
respect  to  myself,  I  speak  modestly,  because  I  ingenuously 
confess  that  I  have  not  yet  attained  it ;  but  I  cannot  d«ny 
that  there  is  such  a  state,  as  it  seems  to  be  so  clearly  as- 
serted by  the  apostle,  1  John  iii.  9,  <<  Whosoever  is  born 
of  God  doth  not  commit  sin ;  for  his  seed  remaineth  in 
him  :  and  he  cannot  sin,  because  he  is  born  of  God." 

Part  II.        The  controversy  being  thus  stated,  which  will  serve  to 

Sect.  1.  obviate  objections,  I  shall  proceed.  First,  to  show  the  ab- 
surdity of  that  doctrine  that  pleads  for  sin  for  term  of  life, 
even  in  the  saints. 

Sect.  2.  Secondly,  To  prove  this  doctrine  of  perfection  from 
many  pregnant  testimonies  of  the  holy  scripture. 

Sect.  3.  And,  Lastly,  To  answer  the  arguments  and  objections 
of  our  opposers. 

Sect.  I.  §  III.  First  then.  This  doctrine,  viz. :  That  the  saints  nor 
Proof  1.  can  nor  ever  will  be  free  of  sinning  in  this  life,  is  incon- 
trine  of "  sistent  with  the  wisdom  of  God,  and  with  his  glorious 
pleading  for  power  and  majesty,  '<  who  is  of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold 

gin  for  term  J  .     .  J     J  '  i  j 

of  life  ab-  iniquity;"*  who  having  purposed  in  himself  to  gather  to 
•Hab.  i.  13.  '^i™  that  should  worship  him,  and  be  witnesses  for  him  on 
earth,  a  chosen  people,  doth  also  no  doubt  sanctify  and 
purify  them.  For  God  hath  no  delight  in  iniquity,  but 
abhors  transgression  ;  and  though  he  regard  man  in  trans- 
gression so  far  as  to  pity  him,  and  afford  him  means  to 
come  out  of  it ;  yet  he  loves  him  not,  neither  delights  in 
him,  as  he  is  joined  thereunto.  Wherefore  if  man  must  be 
always  joined  to  sin,  then  God  would  ^always  be  at  a 
distance  with  him  ;  as  it  is  written,  Isa.  lix.  2,  «<  Your  ini- 
quities have  separated  between  you  and  your  God,  and 
your  sins  have  hid  his  face  from  you  ;"  whereas  on  the 
contrary,  the  saints  are  said  to  partake,  even  while  here, 
"  of  the  divine  nature,"  2  Pet.  i.  4,  and  to  be  one  spirit 
with  the  Lord,  1  Cor.  vi.  17.  Now  no  unclear,  thing 
can  be  so.  It  is  expressly  written,  that  there  is  no  com- 
munion betwixt  light  and  darkness,  2  Cor.  vi.  14  ;  but 
God  is  light,  and  every  sin  is  darkness  in  a  measure. 
What  greater  stain  then  can  there  be  than  this  upon  God's 


OF  PERFKCTION. 


233 


wisdom,  as  if  he  had  been  wanting  to  prepare  a  means  Hath  t;od'» 
whereby  his  children  might  perfectly  serve  and  worship  been°wapt 
him,  or  had  not  provided  a  way  whereby  they  might  serve  '"^J°  p™' 
nim  in  any  thing,  but  that  they  must  withal  still  serve  the  means  to 
devil  no  less,  yea  more  than  himself?  For  "he  that  sinneth  wors^h^p*^ 
is  the  servant  of  sin,"  Rom.  vi.  16,  and  every  sin  is  an  act  ['J^jP"' 
,of  service  and  obedience  to  the  devil.  So  then  if  the  saints 
sin  daily  in  thought,  word,  and  deed,  yea,  if  the  very  service 
they  offer  to  God  be  sin,  surely  they  serve  the  devil  more 
than  they  do  God :  for  besides  that  they  give  the  devil 
many  entire  services,  without  mixture  of  the  least  grain  to 
God,  they  give  God  not  the  least  service  in  which  the 
devil  hath  not  a  large  share  ;  and  if  their  prayers  and  all 
their  spiritual  performances  be  sinful,  the  devil  is  as  much 
served  by  them  in  these  as  God,  and  in  most  of  them  much 
more,  since  they  confess  that  many  of  them  are  performed 
without  the  leadings  and  influence  of  God's  Spirit.  Now 
who  would  not  account  him  a  foolish  master  among  men, 
who  being  able  to  do  it,  and  also  desirous  it  might  be  so, 
yet  would  not  provide  a  way  whereby  his  children  and 
servants  might  serve  him  more  entirely  than  his  avowed 
enemy;  or  would  not  guard  against  their  serving  of  him, 
but  be  so  imprudent  and  unadvised  in  his  contrivance,  that 
whatever  way  his  servants  and  children  served  him,  they 
should  no  less,  yea,  often  much  more,  serve  his  enemy  ? 
What  may  we  then  think  of  that  doctrine  that  would  infer 
this  folly  upon  the  Omnipotent  and  Only  Wise  God  ? 

§  IV.  Secondly,  It  is  inconsistent  with  the  justice  of  Pnoor  II 
God.    For  since  he  requires  purity  from  his  children,  and  lis  incm- 
commands  them  to  abstain  from  every  iniquity,  so  fre-  whhThc 
quently  and  precisely  as  shall  hereafter  appear,  and  since  'j!,'^'''® 
his  wrath  is  revealed  against  all  ungodliness  and  unright- 
eousness of  men,  it  must  needs  follow,  that  he  hath  capa- 
citated man  to  answer  his  will,  or  else  that  he  requires  more 
than  he  has  given  power  to  perform  ;  which  is  to  declare 
him  openly  unjust,  and  with  the  slothfid  servant  to  be  a 
hard  master.    We  have  elsewhere  spoken  of  the  injustice 
these  men  ascribe  to  God,  in  making  him  to  damn  the 
20  •  2  E 


PROPOSITION  VIII. 


Who  shall 
give  their 
children  a 
stone  in- 
stead of 
bread  7 


PROor  III. 


wicked,  to  whom  they  allege  he  nevei  afforded  any  raeani 
of  being  good  ;  but  this  is  yet  an  aggravation  more  irra- 
tit-nal  and  inconsistent,  to  say  that  God  will  not  afford  to 
those,  whom  he  hath  chosen  to  be  his  own,  whom  they 
confess  he  loveth,  the  means  to  please  him.  What  can 
follow  then  from  so  strange  a  doctrine  ? 

This  imperfection  in  the  saints  either  proceeds  from  God 
or  from  themselves  :  If  it  proceeds  from  them,  it  must  be 
because  they  are  short  in  improving  or  making  use  of  the 
power  given  them,  whereby  they  are  capable  to  obey ;  and 
so  it  is  a  thing  possible  to  them,  as  indeed  it  is  by  the  help 
of  that  power:  but  this  our  adversaries  deny:  they  are 
then  not  to  be  blamed  for  their  imperfection  and  con 
tinning  in  sin,  since  it  is  not  possible  for  them  to  do  other 
wise.  If  it  be  not  of  themselves,  it  must  be  of  God,  who 
hath  not  seen  meet  to  allow  them  grace  in  that  degree  to 
produce  that  effect:  and  what  is  this  but  to  attribute  to 
God  the  height  of  injustice,  to  make  him  require  his  chil- 
dren to  forsake  sin,  and  yet  not  to  afford  them  sufficient 
means  for  so  doing.?  Surely  this  makes  God  more  un- 
righteous than  wicked  men,  who  if,  as  Christ  saith, 
their  children  require  bread  of  them,  will  not  give  them 
a  stone  ;  or  instead  of  a  fish  a  serpent.  But  these  men 
confess  we  ought  to  seek  of  God  power  to  redeem  us  from 
sin,  and  yet  believe  they  are  never  to  receive  such  a  power  ; 
such  prayers  then  cannot  be  in  faith,  but  are  all  vain.  Is 
not  this  to  make  God  as  unjust  to  his  children  as  Pharoah 
was  to  the  Israelites,  in  requiring  brick  and  not  giving  them 
straw  But  blessed  be  God,  he  deals  not  so  with  those 
that  truly  trust  in  him,  and  wait  upon  him,  as  these  meo 
vainly  imagine  ;  for  such  faithful  ones  find  of  a  truth  thai 
his  grace  is  sufficient  for  them,  ana  know  how  b)  his  powe/ 
and  spirit  to  overcome  the  evil  one. 

§  V.  Thirdly,  This  evil  doctrine  is  highly  injuru.  '.  s  lo 
Jesus  Christ,  and  greatly  derogates  from  the  power  and 
virtue  of  his  sacrifice,  and  renders  his  coming  and  ministry, 
as  to  the  great  end  of  it,  ineffectual.  For  Christ,  as  foi 
other  ends,  so  principally  he  appeared  for  the  removing  of 


OF  PERFECTION. 


235 


sin,  for  the  gathering  a  righteous  generatim,  that  might  The  great 
serve  the  Lord  in  purity  of  mind,  and  walk  before  him  in  e''nd"of 
fear,  and  to  brino;  in  everlasting  righteousness,  and  that  Christ's 

.  .  .  Ill  I         TT  coining  and 

evangelical  perfection  which  the  law  could  not  do.  Hence  appearance 
hf  is  said,  Tit.  ii.  14,  "  to  have  given  himself  for  us,  that  J^cmovingdl 
ht  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity,  and  purify  unto  him-  •<» 

°  1         1     11     rr.i  ■     •    redeem  Hi 

self  a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good  works."  Ihis  is  fiom  all 
certainly  spoken  of  the  saints  while  upon  earth  ;  but,  con- 
trary  thereunto,  these  men  affirm,  that  we  never  are  re- 
deemed from  all  iniquity,  and  so  make  Christ's  giving  of 
himself  for  us  void  and  ineffectual,  and  give  the  apostle 
Paul  the  lie  plainly,  by  denying  that  <'  Christ  purifieth  to 
himself  a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good  works."  How 
are  they  zealous  of  good  works,  who  are  ever  committing 
evil  ones?  How  are  they  a  purified  people,  that  are  still 
in  impurity,  as  they  are  that  daily  sin,  unless  sin  be  ac- 
counted no  impurity  ?  Moreover,  it  is  said  expressly, 
1  John  iii.  5,  8,  That  "  for  this  purpose  the  Son  of  God 
was  manifested,  that  he  might  destroy  the  works  of  the 
devil ;  and  ye  know  that  he  was  manifested  to  take  away 
our  sins."  But  these  men  make  this  purpose  of  none 
effect  ;  for  they  will  not  have  the  Son  of  God  to  destroy 
the  works  of  the  devil  in  his  children  in  this  world,  neither 
will  they  at  all  believe  that  he  was  manifest  to  take  away 
our  sins,  seeing  they  plead  a  necessity  of  always  living  in 
them.  And  lest  any  should  wrest  this  place  of  the  apostle, 
as  if  it  were  spoken  only  of  taking  away  the  guilt  of  sin, 
as  if  it  related  not  to  this  life,  the  apostle,  as  if  of  pur- 
pose to  obviate  such  an  objection,  adds  in  the  following 
verses,  "  Whosoever  abideth  in  him  sinneth  not,"  &c, 
I  hope  then  they  sin  not  daily  in  thought,  word,  and  deed. 
<<  Let  no  man  deceive  you  ;  he  that  doth  righteousness  is 
righteous;  even  as  he  is  righteous;  he  that  committeth 
sin  is  of  the  devil  ;"*  but  he  that  sinneth  daily  in  thought,  *  1  Jjhniii, 
word,  and  deed,  committeth  sin;  how  comes  such  a  one  ^' 
then  to  be  the  child  of  God?  And  if  Christ  was  manifest 
to  take  away  sin,  how  strangely  do  they  overturn  the  doc- 
trine of  Christ  that  deny  that  it  is  ever  taken  away  here  ? 


236 


PROPOSITION  VIII. 


And  how  injurious  are  they  to  the  efficacy  and  power  of 
Christ's  appearance  ?  Came  not  Christ  to  gather  a  people 
out  of  sin  into  righteousness ;  from  the  kingdom  of  Satan 
into  the  kingdom  of  the  dear  Son  of  God?  \nd  are  not 
they  that  are  thus  gathered  by  him  his  servants,  his  chil- 
dren, his  brethren,  his  friends?  who  as  he  was,  so  are  they 
to  be  in  this  world,  holy,  pure,  and  undefiled.  And  Joth 
not  Christ  still  watch  over  them,  stand  by  them,  pray  foi 
them,  and  preserve  them  by  his  power  and  Spirit,  waJk  n 
The  devil  them,  and  dwell  among  them;  even  as  the  devil  on  the 
tmong  the  Other  hand  doth  among  the  reprobate  ones  ?  How  comes 
eprobates  then  that  the  servants  of  Christ  are  less  his  servants  than 
the  devil's  are  his?  Or  is  Christ  unwilling  to  have  his  ser- 
vants thoroughly  pure  ?  Which  were  gross  blasphemy  to 
assert,  contrary  to  many  scriptures.  Or  is  he  not  able  by 
his  power  to  preserve  and  enable  his  children  to  serve  him  ? 
Which  were  no  less  blasphemous  to  affirm  of  him,  con- 
cerning whom  the  scriptures  declare.  That  he  has  over- 
come sin,  death,  hell,  and  the  grave,  and  triumphed  over 
them  openly,  and  that  all  power  in  heaven  and  earth  is 
given  to  him.  But  certainly  if  the  saints  sin  daily  in 
thought,  word  and  deed,  as  these  men  assert,  they  serve 
the  devil  daily,  and  are  subject  to  his  power ;  and  so  he 
prevails  more  than  Christ  doth,  and  holds  the  servants  of 
Christ  in  bondage,  whether  Christ  will  or  not.  But  how 
greatly  then  doth  it  contradict  the  end  of  Christ's  coming? 
as  it  is  expressed  by  the  apostle,  Eph.  v.  25,  26,  27, 
<'  Even  as  Christ  also  loved  the  church,  and  gave  himself 
for  it,  that  he  might  sanctify  and  cleanse  it  with  the  wash 
ing  of  water  by  the  word  :  that  he  might  present  it  to  him- 
self a  glorious  church,  not  having  spot  or  wrinkle,  or  any 
such  thing,  but  that  it  should  be  holy,  and  without  olem- 
ish."  Now  if  Christ  hath  really  thus  answered  the  thing 
he  came  for,  then  the  members  of  his  church  are  not  al- 
ways sinning  in  thought,  word,  and  deed,  or  there  is  no 
difference  betwixt  being  sanctified  and  unsanctified,  clean 
and  unclean,  holy  and  unholy,  being  daily  blemished  with 
sin,  and  being  without  blemish. 


OF  PERFECTION.  231 

§  VI.  Fourthi),  This  doctrine  renders  ihe  work  of  the  Pboof  IV 

ministry,  the  preaching  of  tlie  word,  the  writing  of  the 

scripture,  and  the  prayers  of  holy  men  ahogether  useless 

and  ineffectual.    As  to  the  first,  Eph.  iv.  11,  12,  13,  Pas-  Pastora, 

tors  and  teachers  are  said  to  be  "given  for  the  perfection  and^gcrfp- 

of  the  saints,"  &c.,  "  until  we  all  come  in  the  unity  of  the  tures  are 

J  given  tor 

faith,  and  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God,  unto  a  perfecting 
perfect  man,  unto  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fulness 
of  Christ."  Now  if  there  be  a  necessity  of  sinning  daily, 
and  in  all  things,  then  there  can  be  no  perfection ;  for  such 
as  do  so  cannot  be  esteemed  perfect.  And  if  for  effec- 
tuating this  perfection  in  the  saints  the  ministry  be  appointed 
and  disposed  of  God,  do  not  such  as  deny  the  possibility 
hereof  render  the  ministry  useless,  and  of  no  profit? 
Seeing  there  can  be  no  other  true  use  assigned,  but  to  lead 
people  out  of  sin  into  righteousness.  If  so  be  these  min- 
isters assure  us  that  we  need  never  expect  to  be  delivered 
from  it,  do  not  they  render  their  own  work  needless.^ 
What  needs  preaching  against  sin,  for  the  reproving  of 
which  all  preaching  is,  if  it  can  never  be  forsaken  ?  Our 
adversaries  are  exalters  of  the  scriptures  in  words,  much 
crying  up  their  usefulness  and  perfection :  now  the  apostle 
tells  us,  2  Tim.  iii.  17,  That  the  "  scriptures  are  for  making 
the  man  of  God  perfect ;"  and  if  this  be  denied  to  be 
attainable  in  this  life,  then  the  scriptures  are  of  no  profit ; 
for  in  the  other  life  we  shall  not  have  use  for  them.  It 
renders  the  prayers  of  the  saints  altogether  useless,  seeing 
themselves  do  confess  they  ought  to  pray  daily  that  God 
would  deliver  them  from  evil,  and  free  them  from  sin,  by 
the  help  of  his  Spirit  and  grace,  while  in  this  world.  But 
though  we  might  suppose  this  absurdity  to  follow,  that 
their  prayers  are  without  faith,  yet  were  not  that  so  much, 
if  it  did  not  infer  the  like  upon  the  holy  apostles,  who 
prayed  earnestly  for  this  end,  and  therefore  no  doubt 
believed  it  attainable.  Col.  iv.  12,  "Labouring  fervently 
for  you  in  prayers,  that  ye  may  stand  perfect,"  &c., 
1  Thess.  iii.  13  ;  and  v.  23,  &c. 

§  VII.  But  Fifthly,  This  doctrine  is  contrary  to  common  Pnoot  f 


238 


PROPOSITION  VIII. 


Darkness 
and  -ight, 
sin  and 
righteous- 
ness incon 
Bistent  to- 
gether. 

Prov  xvii. 
vft. 


It  alt  daily 
sin,  where 
is  the 
righteous 
man  then 
spoken  of 
ill  scrip- 
lure  } 


reason  and  sense.  For  the  two  opposite  jirinciples, 
whereof  the  one  rules  in  the  children  of  darkness,  the  other 
in  the  children  of  light,  are  sin  and  righteousness ;  and  as 
they  are  respectively  leavened  and  actuated  by  them,  so 
they  are  accounted  either  as  reprobated  or  justified,  seeing 
it  is  abomination  in  the  sight  of  God,  either  to  justify 
the  wicked,  or  condemn  the  just.  Now  to  say  that  men 
cannot  be  so  leavened  by  the  one  as  to  be  delivered  from 
the  other,  is  in  plain  words  to  affirm,  that  sin  and  right- 
eousness are  consistent;  and  that  a  man  may  be  truly 
termed  righteous,  though  he  be  daily  sinning  in  everything 
he  doth ;  and  then  what  difference  betwixt  good  and  evil  ? 
Is  not  this  to  fall  into  that  great  abomination  of  putting 
light  for  darkness,  and  calling  good  evil,  and  evil  good  ? 
Since  they  say  the  very  best  actions  of  God's  children  are 
defiled  and  polluted,  and  that  those  that  sin  daily  in 
thought,  word,  and  deed  are  good  men  and  women,  the 
saints  and  holy  servants  of  the  holy  pure  God.  Can  there 
be  any  thing  more  repugnant  than  this  to  common  reason  ? 
Since  the  subject  is  still  denominated  from  that  accident 
that  doth  most  influence  it ;  as  a  wall  is  called  white  when 
there  is  much  whiteness,  and  black  when  there  is  much 
blackness,  and  such  like;  but  when  there  is  more  unright- 
eousness in  a  man  than  righteousness,  that  man  ought 
rather  to  be  denominated  unrighteous  than  righteous. 
Then  surely  if  every  man  sin  daily  in  thought,  word,  and 
deed,  and  that  in  his  sins  there  is  no  righteousness  at  all, 
and  that  all  his  righteous  actions  are  polluted  and  mixed 
with  sin,  then  there  is  in  every  man  more  unrighteousness 
than  righteousness  ;  and  so  no  man  ought  to  be  called 
righteous,  no  man  can  be  said  to  be  sanctified  or  washed. 
Where  are  then  the  children  of  God  ?  Where  are  the 
purified  ones.''  Where  are  they  who  were  sometimes  un- 
holy, but  now  holy  ;  that  sometimes  were  darkness,  but 
now  are  light  in  the  Lord  ?  There  can  none  such  be  found 
then  at  this  rate,  except  that  unrighteousness  be  esteemed 
so  :  and  is  not  this  to  fall  into  that  abomination  above 
mentioned  of  justifying  the  ungodly This  certainly 


OF  PERFECTION 


2.39 


lands  in  that  horrid  blasphemy  of  th(.  Ranters,  that  affirm  The  l>iae- 
there  is  no  difterence  betwixt  good  and  evil,  and  that  all  fheRaiuen 
is  one  in  the  sight  of  God.    1  could  show  many  more  "j'j,^'''^'^ 
gross  absurdities,  evil  consequences,  and  manifest  contra- 
dictions implied  in  this  sinful  doctrine  ;  but  this  may  suffice 
at  present,  by  which  also  in  a  good  measure  the  proof  of 
the  truth  we  affirm  is  advanced.    Yet  nevertheless,  for  the 
further  evidencing  of  it,  I  shall  proceed  to  the  second 
thing  proposed  by  me,  to  wit,  to  prove  this  from  several 
testimonies  of  the  holy  scriptures, 

§  VIII.  And  first,  I  prove  it  from  the  peremptory  posi-  Sect.  II. 
tive  command  of  Christ  and  his  apostles,  seeing  this  is  a  Proof  I. 
maxim  engraven  in  every  man's  heart  naturally,  that  no 
man  is  bound  to  do  that  which  is  impossible  :  since  then  Be  ye  per- 
Christ  and  his  apostles  have  commanded  us  to  keep  all  the  Keep^y 
commandments,  and  to  be  perfect  in  this  respect,  it  is  pos-  command 
sible  for  us  so  to  do.    Now  that  this  is  thus  commanded 
without  any  commentary  or  consequence,  is  evidently  ap- 
parent from  these  plain  testimonies.  Matt.  v.  48,  and  vii. 
21  ;  John  xiii.  17  ;  1  Cor.  vii.  19 ;  2  Cor.  xiii.  11  ;  1  John 
ii.  3,  4,  5,  6,  and  iii.  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9,  10.  These 
scriptures  intimate  a  positive  command  for  it ;  they  declare 
the  absolute  necessity  of  it ;  and  therefore,  as  if  they  had 
purposely  been  written  to  answer  the  objections  of  our 
opposers,  they  show  the  folly  of  those  that  will  esteem 
themselves  children  or  friends  of  God,  while  they  do  other- 
wise. 

Secondly,  It  is  possible,  because  we  receive  the  gospel  Proof  11. 
and  law  thereof  for  that  effect;  and  it  is  expressly  promised  bii'i^y''of 
to  us,  as  we  are  under  grace,  as  appears  by  these  scrip- 
tures, Rom.  vi.  14:  "Sin  shall  not  have  dominion  over 
you  ;  for  ye  are  not  under  the  law,  but  under  grace :"  and 
Rom.  viii.  3 :  "  For  what  the  law  could  not  do,  in  that  it 
was  weak  through  the  flesh,  God  sending  his  own  Son," 
&c.,  "that  the  righteousness  of  the  law  might  be  fulfilled 
in  us,"  &c.    For  if  this  were  not  a  condition  both  re-  The  differ 
quisite,  necessary,  and  attainable  under  the  gospel,  there  i"^^^^^*'* 
were  no  difference  betwixt  the  bringing  in  of  a  better  hope,  gospel. 


240 


PROPOSITION  VIII. 


and  the  law  which  made  nothing  perfect ;  neither  betwixt 
those  which  are  under  the  gospel,  or  who  under  the  law 
enjoyed  and  walked  in  the  life  of  the  gospel  and  mere 
legalists.  Whereas  the  apostle,  throughout  the  whole  sixth 
to  the  Romans,  argues  not  only  the  possibility  but  the 
necessity  of  being  free  from  sin,  from  their  being  under  the 
gospel,  and  under  grace,  and  not  under  the  law  ;  and  there- 
fore states  himself  and  those  to  whom  he  wrote  in  that 
condition  in  these  verses,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7 ;  and  therefore 
in  the  11,  12,  13,  16,  17,  18  verses  he  argues  both  the 
possibility  and  necessity  of  this  freedom  from  sin  almost 
'^in  the  same  manner  we  did  a  little  before ;  and  in  the  22d 
he  declares  them  in  measure  to  have  attained  this  condition 
in  these  words,  "But  now  being  made  free  from  sin,  and 
become  servants  to  God,  ye  have  your  fruit  unto  holiness, 
Perfecticn  and  the  end  everlasting  life."  And  as  this  perfection  or 
dom  from    freedom  from  sin  is  attained  and  made  possible  where  the 

'"'^'"^'^  gospel  and  inward  law  of  the  Spirit  is  received  and  known, 
and  made    °    '     .  ^  ,  . 

possible  by  SO  the  ignorance  hereof  has  been  and  is  an  occasion  of 
t  e  gospel.  QppQgjpg  (.jjjg  truth.    For  man,  not  minding  the  light  oi 
law  within  his  heart,  which  not  only  discovers  sin  but  leads 
out  of  it,  and  so  being  a  stranger  to  the  new  life  and  birth 
that  is  born  of  God,  which  naturally  does  his  will,  ana 
cannot  of  its  own  nature  transgress  the  commandments  of 
God,  doth,  I  say,  in  his  natural  state  look  at  the  command- 
rhe  letter  ments  as  they  are  without  him  in  the  letter  ;  and  finding 
maketh"not  himself  reproved  and  convicted,  is  by  the  letter  killed,  but 
•live.        not  made  alive.    So  man,  finding  himself  wounded,  and 
not  applying  himself  inwardly  to  that  which  can  heal, 
labours  in  his  own  will  after  a  conformity  to  the  law  as  it 
is  without  him,  which  he  can  never  obtain,  but  finds  the 
more  he  wrestles,  the  more  he  falleth  short.    So  this  is  the 
Jew  still  in  effect,  with  his  carnal  commandment,  with  the 
law  without,  in  the  first  covenant  state,  which  "  makes  not 
the  comers  thereunto  perfect,  as  pertaining  to  the  con- 
science," Heb.  IX.  9 :  though  they  may  have  here  a  notion 
of  Christianity,  and  an  external  faith  in  Christ.    This  hath 
made  them  strain  and  wrest  the  scriptures  for  an  imputative 


OF  PERFECTION. 


241 


lighteousntss  wholly  without  them,  to  cover  their  im- 
purities; and  this  hath  made  them  imagine  an  acceptance 
with  God  possible,  though  they  suppose  it  impossible  ever 
to  obey  Christ's  commands.    But  alas!  0  deceived  souls! 
that  will  not  avail  in  the  day  wherein  God  will  judge  every 
man  according  to  his  work,  whether  good  or  bad.    It  will 
not  save  thee  to  say,  it  was  necessary  for  thee  to  sin  daily 
in  thought,  word  and  deed  ;  for  such  as  do  so  have  cer- 
tainly obeyed  unrighteousness ;  and  what  is  provided  for 
such  but  tribulation  and  anguish,  indignation  and  wrath  ; 
even  as  glory,  honour,  and  peace,  immortality  and  eternal 
life,  to  such  as  have  done  good,  and  patiently  continued  in 
well-doing.    So  then,  if  thou  desirest  to  know  this  perfec- 
tion and  freedom  from  sin  possible  for  thee,  turn  thy  mind 
to  the  light  and  spiritual  law  of  Christ  in  the  heart,  and 
suffer  the  reproofs  thereof;  bear  the  judgment  and  indig- 
nation of  God  upon  the  unrighteous  part  in  thee  as  therein  it 
is  revealed,  which  Christ  hath  made  tolerable  for  thee,  and 
so  suffer  judgment  in  thee  to  be  brought  forth  into  victory.  How  we 
and  thus  come  to  partake  of  the  fellowship  of  Christ's  suf-  ^"hlfj^fg"^ 
ferings,  and  be  made  conformable  unto  his  death,  that  thou  sufferings 
mayest  feel  thyself  crucified  with  him  to  the  world  by  the  made  con- 
power  of  his  cross  in  thee ;  so  that  that  life  that  sometimes  u°nto*hi^* 
was  alive  in  thee  to  this  world,  and  the  love  and  lusts  death, 
thereof,  may  die,  and  a  new  life  be  raised,  by  which  thou 
mayest  live  henceforward  to  God,  and  not  to  or  for  thy- 
self ;  and  with  the  apostle  thou  mayest  say.  Gal.  ii.  20 : 
It  is  no  more  I,  "but  Christ  liveth  in  me;"  and  then  thou 
wilt  be  a  Christian  indeed,  and  not  in  name  only,  as  too 
many  are;  then  thou  wilt  know  what  it  is  to  have  "put 
off  the  old  man  with  his  deeds,"  who  indeed  sins  daily  in 
thought,  word,  and  deed  ;  and  to  have  put  on  the  new 
man,  that  is  renewed  in  holiness,  after  the  image  of  him 
that  hath  created  him,    Eph.  iv.  24 :  and  thou  wilt  witness 
thyself  to  be  God's  workmanship,  created  in  Christ  Jesus 
unto  good  works,  and  so  not  to  sin  always.    And  to  this 
new  man  "  Christ's  yoke  is  easy,  and  his  burden  is  light  ;"  Matr.  xi  30 
though  it  be  heavy  to  the  old  Adam  ;  yea,  the  command-  ^ 
21  2  F 


242 


PROPOSITION  VIII. 


Proof  3. 
Many  have 
attained 
perfection. 


Enoch 
walked 
with  God, 
and  was 
perfect. 


Skc.  III. 


Obj.  1. 


4iif.  1. 


inents  of  God  are  not  unto  this  man  grievous ;  foi  it  is  hu 
meat  and  drink  to  be  found  fulfilling  the  will  of  God. 

Lastly,  This  perfection  or  freedom  from  sin  is  possible, 
because  many  have  attained  it,  according  to  the  express 
testimony  of  the  scripture  ;  some  before  the  law,  and  some 
under  the  law,  through  witnessing  and  partaking  of  the 
benefit  and  eflfect  of  the  gospel,  and  much  more  many  un- 
der the  gospel.  As  first,  it  is  written  of  Enoch,  Gen.  v.  22, 
24,  that  he  walked  with  God,  which  no  man  while  sinning 
can  ;  nor  doth  the  scripture  record  any  failing  of  his.  It 
is  said  of  Noah,  Gen.  vi.  9,  and  of  Job.  i.  8,  and  of  Zacha- 
rias  and  Elizabeth,  Luke  i.  6,  that  they  were  perfect;  but 
under  the  gospel,  besides  that  of  the  Romans  above  men- 
tioned, see  what  the  apostle  saith  of  many  saints  in  gene- 
ral, Eph.  ii.  4,  5,  6,  "  But  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for 
his  great  love  wherewith  he  hath  loved  us,  even  when  we 
were  dead  in  sins,  hath  quickened  us  together  with  Christ, 
by  grace  ye  are  saved  ;  and  hath  raised  us  up  together, 
and  made  us  sit  together  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ 
Jesus,"  &c.  I  judge  while  they  were  sitting  in  these 
heavenly  places,  they  could  not  be  daily  sinning  in  thought, 
word  and  deed  ;  neither  were  all  their  works  which  they 
did  there  as  fiUhy  rags,  or  as  a  raenstruous  garment.  See 
what  is  further  said  to  the  Hebrews,  xii.  22,  23,  "  Spirits 
of  just  men  made  perfect."  And  to  conclude,  let  that  of 
the  Revelations,  xiv.  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  be  considered,  where 
though  their  being  found  without  fault  be  spoken  in  the 
present  time,  yet  it  is  not  without  respect  to  their  innocency 
while  upon  earth  ;  and  their  being  "redeemed  from  among 
men,  and  no  guile  found  in  their  mouth,"  is  expressly 
mentioned  in  the  time  past.  But  I  shall  proceed  now,  in 
the  third  place,  to  answer  the  objections,  which  indeed  are 
the  arguments  of  our  opposers. 

§  IX.  I  shall  begin  with  their  chief  and  great  argument, 
which  is  the  words  of  the  apostle,  1  John  i.  8,  <<  If  we  say 
that  we  have  no  sin,  we  deceive  ourselves,  and  the  truth 
is  nou  in  us."    This  they  think  invincible. 

But  is  it  not  strange  to  see  men  so  blinded  with  partial 


OF  PERFECTION. 


243 


ity  ?   How  many  scriptures  tenfold  more  plain  do  they 
reject,  and  yet  stick  so  tenaciously  to  this,  that  can  receive 
so  many  answers?   As  first,  "  If  we  say  we  have  no  sin,"  li'we  say 
&c.,  will  not  import  the  apostle  himself  to  be  included,  ^n,  &c^ob- 
Sometimes  the  scripture  useth  this  manner  of  expression  J®'^'^'*- 
when  the  person  speaking  cannot  be  included ;  which 
manner  of  speech  the  grammarians  call  metaschematismus. 
Thus  James  iii.  9,  10,  speaking  of  the  tongue,  saith, 
«'  Therewith  bless  we  God,  and  therewith  curse  we  men  ;" 
adding,  "  These  things  ought  not  so  to  be."    Who  from 
this  will  conclude  that  the  apostle  was  one  of  those  cursers? 
But  Secondly,  This  objection  hitteth  not  the  matter;  heANs. 2. 
saith  not.  We  sin  daily  in  thought,  word,  and  deed ; 
far  less  that  the  very  good  works  which  God  works  in  us 
by  his  Spirit  are  sin  :   yea  the  very  next  verse  clearly 
shows,  that  upon  confession  and  repentance  we  are  not 
only  forgiven,  but  also  cleansed  ;  '<  He  is  faithful  to  forgive 
us  our  sins,  and  to  cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteousness."*  *lJo!ini  9. 
Here  is  both  a  forgiveness  and  removing  of  the  guilt,  and 
a  cleansing  or  removing  of  the  filth  ;  for  to  make  forgive- 
ness and  cleansing  to  belong  both  to  the  removing  of  the 
guilt,  as  there  is  no  reason  for  it  from  the  text,  so  it  were 
a  most  violent  forcing  of  the  words,  and  would  imply  a 
needless  tautology.    The  apostle  having  shown  how  that 
not  the  guilt  only,  but  even  the  filth  also  of  sin  is  removed, 
subsumes  his  words  in  the  time  past  in  the  10th  verse,  "  If 
we  say  we  have  not  sinned,  we  make  him  a  liar."  Thirdly,  Ans.  3. 
As  Augustine  well  observed,  in  his  exposition  upon  the 
epistle  to  the  Galatians,  It  is  one  thing  not  to  sin,  and  an-  it  is  one 
other  thing  not  to  have  sin.    The  apostle's  words  are  not  {o'gi?,"anrf 
If  we  say  we  sin  not,  or  commit  not  sin  daily,  but  "  if  we  another 

1  •     11        1  1        •        1  1         ■        tiling  not  it 

say  we  have  no  sm  :  '  and  betwixt  these  two  there  is  a  have  sin. 
manifest  difference  ;  for  in  respect  all  have  sinned,  as  we 
freely  acknowledge,  all  may  -be  said  in  a  sense  to  have  sin. 
Again,  sin  may  be  taken  for  the  seed  of  sin,  which  may  be 
in  (hose  that  are  redeemed  from  actual  sinning ;  but  as  to 
the  temptations  and  provocations  proceeding  from  it  being 
resisted  by  the  servants  of  God,  and  not  yielded  to,  they 


244 


PROPOSITION  VIII. 


Ans.  4 


<.)li.  8. 


A  NSW. 


Diversity 
of  seasons 
and  dispeti- 
gations  re- 
epected. 


are  the  devil's  sin  that  tempteth,  not  the  man's  that  is  pre- 
served. Fourthly,  This  being  consivlered,  as  also  how 
positive  and  plain  once  and  again  the  same  apostle  is  in 
that  very  epistle,  as  in  divers  places  above  cited,  is  it  equal 
or  rational  to  strain  this  one  place,  presently  after  so  quali- 
fied and  subsumed  in  the  time  past,  to  contradict  not  only 
other  positive  expressions  of  his,  but  the  whole  tendency 
of  his  epistle,  and  of  the  rest  of  the  holy  commands  an(' 
precepts  of  the  scripture  ? 

Secondly,  Their  second  objection  is  from  two  places  ol 
scripture,  much  of  one  signification:  the  one  is,  1  Kings 
viii.  46,  "For  there  is  no  man  that  sinneth  not."  The 
other  is,  Eccles.  vii.  20,  "For  there  is  not  a  just  ma., 
upon  earth,  that  doth  good,  and  sinneth  not." 

I  answer.  First,  These  affirm  nothing  of  a  daily  and  con- 
tinual sinning,  so  as  never  to  be  redeemed  from  it ;  but 
only  that  all  have  sinned,  or  that  there  is  none  that  doth 
not  sin,  though  not  always,  so  as  never  to  cease  to  sin  ; 
and  in  this  lies  the  question.  Yea,  in  that  place  of  the 
Kings  he  speaks  within  two  verses  of  the  returning  of  such 
"  with  all  their  souls  and  hearts;"  which  implies  a  possi- 
bility of  leaving  off"  sin.  Secondly,  There  is  a  respect  to 
be  had  to  the  seasons  and  dispensations  ;  for  if  it  should  be 
granted  that  in  Solomon's  time  there  was  none  that  sinned 
not,  it  will  not  follow  that  there  are  none  such  now,  or 
that  it  is  a  thing  not  now  attainable  by  the  grace  of  God 
under  the  gospel :  For  a  non  esse  ad  non  posse  non  valet 
sequela.  And  lastly,  This  whole  objection  hangs  upon  a 
false  interpretation  ;  for  the  Hebrew  word  xtDm  may  be 
read  in  the  potential  mood,  thus,  There  is  no  man  who 
may  not  sin,  as  well  as  in  the  indicative :  so  both  the  old 
Latin,  Junius  and  Trernellius,  and  Vatablus  have  it ;  and 
the  same  word  is  so  used.  Psalm  cxix.  11,  "I  have  hid 
thy  word  in  my  heart,"  :  "jS  xonx  nS  U'oS  that  is  to  say.  That 
I  may  not  sin  against  thee,  in  the  potential  mood,  and  not 
in  the  indicatwe  ;  which  being  more  answerable  to  the 
universal  scope  of  the  scriptures,  the  testimony  of  the  truth 
and  the  sense  almost  of  all  interpreters,  doubtless  ought  to 


OF  PERFECTIOV. 


245 


oe  so  understood,  and  the  other  interpretation  rejected  as 
spurious. 

Thirdly,  They  object  sorne  expressions  of  the  apostle  Osi  J 
Paul,  Rom.  vii.  19,  "For  the  good  that  I  would,  I  do 
not  ;  but  the  evil  which  I  would  not,  that  I  do."  And 
verse  24,  "0  wretched  man  that  I  am!  who  shall  deliver 
me  from  the  body  of  this  death  ?" 

I  answer,  This  place  infers  nothing,  unless  it  were  ap-  Answ 
parent  that  the  apostle  here  were  speaking  of  his  own  con- 
dition, and  not  rather  in  the  person  of  others,  or  what  he 
hunself  had  sometimes  borne  ;  which  is  frequent  in  scrip- 
ture, as  in  the  case  of  cursing,  in  James  before  mentioned. 
But  there  is  nothing  in  the  text  that  doth  clearly  signify 
the  apostle  to  be  speaking  of  himself,  or  of  a  condition  he 
was  then  under,  or  was  always  to  be  under ;  yea,  on  the 
contrary,  in  the  former  chapter,  as  afore  is  at  large  shown, 
he  declares,  they  were  dead  to  sin  ;  demanding  how  such 
should  yet  live  any  longer  therein  ?  Secondly,  It  appears  Paul  per- 
that  the  apostle  personated  one  not  yet  come  to  a  spiritual  ^"etched^ 
condition,  in  that  he  saith,  verse  14,  "But  I  am  carnal,  man  to 

show  ta6F 

sold  under  sin."  Now  is  it  to  be  imagined  that  the  apostle  the  Re- 
Paul,  as  to  his  own  proper  condition,  when  he  wrote  that 
epistle,  was  a  carnal  man,  who  in  chap.  i.  testifies  of  him- 
self, That  he  was  separated  to  be  an  apostle,  capable  to 
impart  to  the  Romans  spiritual  gifts;  and  chap.  viii.  2, 
That  "  the  law  of  the  Spirit  of  Life  in  Christ  Jesus"  had 
"  made  him  free  from  the  law  of  sin  and  death  ?"  So  then 
he  was  not  carnal.  And  seeing  there  are  spiritual  men  in 
this  life,  as  our  adversaries  will  not  deny,  and  is  intimated 
through  the  whole  8th  chapter  to  the  Romans,  it  will  not 
be  denied  but  the  apostle  was  one  of  them  :  so  then  as  his 
calling  himself  carnal  in  chap.  vii.  cannot  be  understood 
of  his  own  proper  state,  neither  can  the  rest  of  what  he 
speaks  there  of  that  kind  be  so  understood  :  yea,  after, 
verse  24,  where  he  makes  that  exclamation,  he  adds  in  the 
next  verse,  "  I  thank  God,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord  ;" 
signifying  that  by  him  he  witnessed  deliverance  ;  and  so 
goeth  on,  showing  how  he  had  obtained  it  in  the  next 
21  • 


246 


PROPOSITION  VIII. 


chapter,  viz.  viii.  ver.  35,  "  Who  shall  separate  us  from 
tLe  love  of  Christ?"  And  ver.  37,  "  But  in  all  these  things 
we  are  more  than  conquerors :"  and  in  the  last  verse, 
"Nothing  shall  be  able  to  separate  us,"  &c.  But  wher- 
ever there  is  a  continuing  in  sin,  there  is  a  separation  in 
some  degree,  seeing  every  sin  is  contrary  to  God,  and 
avo|uiia,  i.  e.  "a  transgression  of  the  law,"  1  John  iii.  4,  and 
whoever  committeth  the  least  sin,  is  overcome  of  it,  and 
Wliom  sin  so  in  that  respect  is  not  a  conqueror,  but  conquered.  This 
quered.'he  condition  then,  which  the  apostle  plainly  testified  he  with 

is  no  con-  some  others  had  obtained,  could  not  consist  with  continual 
queror.  .  .   '  , 

remaming  and  abiding  in  sin. 

Obj.  4.         Fourthly,  They  object  the  faults  and  sins  of  several 

eminent  saints,  as  Noah,  David,  &c. 
Answ.  I  answer,  That  doth  not  at  all  prove  the  case :  for  the 

question  is  not  whether  good  men  may  not  fall  into  sin, 
which  is  not  denied  ;  but  whether  it  be  not  possible  for 
Can  they    them  not  to  sin  ?  It  will  not  follow  because  these  men  sin- 
I 'ever  freed  "^'Jj  that  therefore  they  were  never  free  of  sin,  but  always 
fioiusin?    sinned  :  for  at  this  rate  of  arguing,  it  might  be  urged,  ac- 
cording to  this  rule,  Confrai-iomm  par  ratio,  i,  e..  The 
reason  of  contraries  is  alike,  that  if,  because  a  good  man 
hath  sinned  once  or  twice,  he  can  never  be  free  from  sin, 
but  must  always  be  daily  and  continually  a  sinner  all  his 
life  long ;  then  by  the  rule  of  contraries,  if  a  wicked  man 
have  done  good  once  or  twice,  he  can  never  be  free  from 
righteousness,  but  must  always  be  a  righteous  man  all  his 
.  life-time :  which  as  it  is  most  absurd  in  itself,  so  it  is  con- 
trary to  the  plain  testimony  of  the  scripture,  Ezek.  xxxiii. 
12  to  18. 

Object.  Lastly,  They  object,  That  if  perfection  or  freedom  from 
sin  be  attainable,  this  will  render  mortification  of  sin  use- 
less, and  make  the  blood  of  Christ  of  no  service  to  us, 
neither  need  we  any  more  pray  for  forgiveness  of  sins. 

Kwm.  I  answer,  I  had  almost  omitted  this  objection,  because 

of  the  manifest  absurdity  of  it :  for  can  mortification  of  sin 
be  useless,  where  the  end  of  it  is  obtained  ?  seeing  there 
is  no  attaining  of  this  perfection  but  by  mortification.  Doth 


OF  PERFECTION. 


247 


the  hope  and  belief  of  overcoming  render  the  fight  iinne-  Who  fight* 
cessary  ?  Let  raticnal  men  judge  which  hath  most  sense  in  hopes°to'" 
it,  to  say  as  ou-  adversaries  do,  It  is  necessary  that  we  ^jg^[^g^' 
fight  and  wrestle,  out  we  must  never  think  of  overcoming, 
we  must  resolve  still  to  be  overcome ;  or  to  say.  Let  us 
fight,  because  we  may  overcome  ?  Whether  do  such  as 
believe  they  may  be  cleansed  by  it,  or  those  that  believe 
they  can  never  be  cleansed  by  it,  render  the  blood  of 
Christ  most  efTectual  ?  If  two  men  were  both  grievously 
diseased,  and  applied  themselves  to  a  physician  for  remedy, 
which  of  those  do  most  commend  the  physician  and  his 
cure,  he  that  believeth  he  may  be  cured  by  him,  and  as  he 
feels  himself  cured,  confesseth  that  he  is  so,  and  so  can  say 
this  is  a  skilful  physician,  this  is  a  good  medicine,  behold 
I  am  made  whole  by  it,  or  he  that  never  is  cured,  nor  ever 
believes  that  he  can  so  long  as  he  lives?  As  for  praying 
for  forgiveness,  we  deny  it  not ;  for  that  all  have  sinned,  Praying  tot 
and  therefore  all  need  to  pray  that  their  sins  past  may  be  a't'^fin^"**' 
blotted  out,  and  that  they  may  be  daily  preserved  from 
sinning.  And  if  hoping  or  believing  to  be  made  free  from 
sin  hinders  praying  for  forgiveness  of  sin,  it  would  follow 
by  the  same  inference  that  men  ought  not  to  forsake  mur- 
der, adultery,  or  any  of  these  gross  evils,  seeing  the  m.ore 
men  are  sinful,  the  more  plentiful  occasion  there  would  be 
of  asking  forgiveness  of  sin,  and  the  more  work  for 
mortification.  But  the  apostle  hath  sufficiently  refuted 
such  sin-pleasing  cavils  in  these  words,  Rom.  vi.  1,  2, 
'<  Shall  we  continue  in  sin  that  grace  may  abound  ?  God 
forbid." 

Bui  lastly,  It  may  be  easily  answered,  by  a  retortion  to 
those  that  press  this  from  the  words  of  the  Lord's  Prayer, 
<'  forgive  us  our  debts,"  that  this  militates  no  less  against 
perfect  justification  than  against  perfect  sanctification :  for 
if  all  the  saints,  the  least  as  well  as  the  greatest,  be  per- 
fectly justified  in  that  very  hour  wherein  they  are  con- 
verted, as  our  adversaries  will  have  it,  then  they  have 
remission  of  sins  long  before  they  die.  May  it  not  then 
be  said  to  them.  What  need  have  ye  to  pray  for  remission 


248 


PROPOSITION  vni. 


Testimo- 
nies of  the 
fatiiers 
concerning 
perfection 
or  freedom 
from  sin. 


Jeromo. 


Augustine. 


Gelasius. 


That  by 
the  gift  of 
God  all 
things  are 
possible. 


□oncluiion. 


of  siti,  who  are  already  justified,  whose  sins  are  long  ago 
forgiven,  both  past  and  to  come  ? 

§  X.  But  this  may  suffice :  concerning  this  possibility 
Jerome  speaks  clearly  enough,  lib.  iii.,  adver.  Pelagium. 
"  This  we  also  say,  that  a  man  may  not  sin,  if  he  will,  for 
a  time  and  place,  according  to  his  bodily  weakness,  so 
long  as  his  mind  is  intent,  so  long  as  the  cords  of  the 
Cithara  relax  not  by  any  vice  ;"  and  again  in  the  same 
book,  "Which  is  that  that  I  said,  that  it  is  put  in  our 
power,  to  wit,  being  helped  by  the  grace  of  God,  either  to 
sin  or  not  to  sin."  For  this  was  the  error  of  Pelagius, 
which  we  indeed  reject  and  abhor,  and  which  the  Fathers 
deservedly  withstood,  "That  man  by  his  natural  strength, 
without  the  help  of  God's  grace,  could  attain  to  that  state 
so  as  not  to  sin."  And  Augustine  himself,  a  great  opposer 
of  the  Pelagian  heresy,  did  not  deny  this  possibility  as 
attainable  by  the  help  of  God's  grace,  as  in  his  book  de 
Spiritu  §■  literd,  cap.  ii.,  and  his  book  de  JVaturd  Gratia 
against  Pelagius,  cap.  xlii.,  1.,  Ix.,  and  Ixiii.,  de  Gestis 
Concilii  Palcestini,  cap.  vii.,  and  ii.,  and  de  Peccnto  Oiigi- 
nali,  lib.  ii.,  cap.  ii.  Gelasius  also,  in  his  disputation 
against  Pelagius,  saith,  "  But  if  any  affirm  that  this  may  be 
given  to  some  saints  in  this  life,  not  by  the  power  of  man's 
strength,  but  by  the  grace  of  God,  he  doth  well  to  think 
so  confidently,  and  hope  it  faithfully ;  for  by  this  gift  of 
God  all  things  are  possible."  That  this  was  the  common 
opinion  of  the  Fathers,  appears  from  the  words  of  the 
Aszansic  Council,  canon  the  last,  "  We  believe  also  this 
according  to  the  Catholic  faith,  that  all  who  are  baptized, 
through  grace  by  baptism  received,  and  Christ  helping 
them,  and  co-working,  may  and  ought  to  do  whatsoever 
belongs  to  salvation,  if  they  will  faithfully  labour." 

§  XI.  Blessed  then  are  they  that  believe  in  him,  who  is 
both  able  and  willing  to  deliver  as  many  as  come  to  him 
through  true  repentance  from  all  sin,  and  do  not  resolve, 
as  these  men  do,  to  be  the  devil's  servants  all  their  life- 
time, but  daily  go  on  forsaking  unrighteousness,  and  for- 
getting those  things  that  are  behind,  "  press  forward  toward 


OF  PERSEVKRANCE,  &C. 


249 


Ihe  mark,  for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ  Phil.  iii.  14 
Jesus;"  such  shall  not  find  their  faith  and  confidence  to  „a^yt^tli« 

be  in  vain,  but  in  due  time  shall  be  made  conquerors  mark,  for 
•      •  1    !•       1  1  prize 

through  him  in  whom  they  have  believed;  and  so  over- and  over- 
coming, shall   be  established  as  pillars  in  the  house  of  """'"6- 
God,  so  as  they  shall  go  no  more  out,  Rev.  iii.  12. 


PROPOSITION  IX. 

Concerning  Perseverance,  and  the  Poss-ibility  of  Falling 
from  Grace. 

Although  this  gift  and  inward  grace  of  God  be  sufficient 
to  work  out  salvation,  yet  in  those  in  whom  it  is  resisted 
it  both  may  and  doth  become  their  condemnation. 
Moreover  they  in  whose  hearts  it  hath  wrought  in  part 
to  purify  and  sanctify  them  in  order  to  their  further  per- 
fection, may,  by  disobedience,  fall  from  it,  turn  it  to 
wantonness,  Jude  4,  make  shipwreck  of  faith,  1  Tim.  i. 
19,  and  after  having  tasted  the  heavenly  gift,  and  been 
made  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  again  fall  away,  Heb. 
vi.  4,  5,  6,  yet  such  an  increase  and  stability  in  the  truth 
may  in  this  life  be  attained,  from  which  there  can  be  no 
total  apostasy. 

§  I.  The  first  sentence  of  this  proposition  hath  already 
been  treated  of  in  the  fifth  and  sixth  propositions,  where 
it  hath  been  shown  that  that  light  which  is  given  for  life 
and  salvation,  becomes  the  condemnation  of  those  that 
refuse  it,  and  therefore  is  already  proved  in  those  places, 
where  I  did  demonstrate  the  possibility  of  man's  resisting 
the  grace  and  Spirit  of  God  ;  and  indeed  it  is  so  apparent 
in  the  scriptures,  that  it  cannot  be  denied  by  such  as  will 
but  seriously  consider  these  testimonies,  Prov.  i.  24,  25, 
26;  John  iii.  18,  19  ;  2  Thess.  ii.  11,  12;  Acts  vii.  51, 
and  xiii.  46;  Rom.  i.  18.  As  for  the  other  part  of  it,  that 
they  in  whom  this  grace  may  have  wrought  in  a  good 

2a 


250 


PROPOSITION  IX. 


I. 

A  falling 
from  grace 
by  disobe- 
dience 
evinced. 
Aro.  1. 


Aro.  2. 


Aro.  3. 


11. 

The  doc- 
trine of 
election 
and  repro- 
bation 
is  incon- 
sistent with 
preaching 
and  daily 
exhorta- 
tion. 


measure  in  order  to  purify  and  sanctifj  them,  tending  to 
their  further  perfection,  may  afterwards,  through  disobe- 
dience, fall  away,  &c.,  the  testimonies  of  the  scripture  in- 
cluded in  the  proposition  itself  are  sufficient  to  prove  it  to 
men  of  unbiassed  judgment;  but  because  as  to  this  part 
our  cause  is  common  with  many  other  Protestants,  I  shall 
be  the  more  brief  in  it :  for  it  is  not  my  design  to  do  that 
which  is  done  already,  neither  do  I  covet  to  appear  know- 
ing by  writing  much ;  but  simply  purpose  to  present  to  the 
world  a  faithful  account  of  our  principles,  and  briefly  to  let 
thera  understand  what  we  have  to  say  for  ourselves. 

§  II.  From  these  scriptures  then  included  in  the  propo- 
sition, not  to  mention  many  more  which  might  be  urged,  I 
argue  thus : 

If  men  may  turn  the  grace  of  God  into  wantonness,  then 
they  must  once  have  had  it : 

But  the  first  is  true,  therefore  also  the  second. 

If  men  may  make  shipwreck  of  faith,  they  must  once 
have  had  it ;  neither  could  they  ever  have  had  true  faith 
without  the  grace  of  God  : 

But  the  first  is  true,  therefore  also  the  laoi. 

If  men  may  have  tasted  of  the  heavenly  gift,  and  been 
made  partakers  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  afterwards  fall 
away,  they  must  needs  have  known  in  measure  the  opera- 
tion of  God's  saving  grace  and  Spirit,  without  which  no 
man  could  taste  the  heavenly  gift,  nor  yet  partake  of  the 
Holy  Spirit : 

But  the  first  is  true,  therefore  also  the  last. 

Secondly,  Seeing  the  contrary  doctrine  is  built  upon 
this  false  hypothesis.  That  grace  is  not  given  for  salvation 
to  any,  but  to  a  certain  elect  number,  which  cannot  lose  it, 
and  that  all  the  rest  of  mankind,  by  an  absolute  decree, 
are  debarred  from  grace  and  salvation  ;  that  being  destroyed, 
this  falls  to  the  ground.  Now  as  that  doctrine  of  theirs  is 
wholly  inconsistent  with  the  daily  practice  of  those  thai 
preach  it,  in  that  they  exhort  people  to  believe  and  be  saved 
while  in  the  mean  time,  if  they  belong  to  (he  decree  of 
reprobation,  it  is  simply  impossible  for  them  so  to  do  ;  and 


OF  PERSEVERANCE,  &C. 


26\ 


if  to  the  decree  of  election,  it  is  needless,  seeing  it  is  as 
impossible  to  them  to  miss  of  it,  as  hath  been  before  de- 
monstrated. So  also  in  this  matter  of  perseverance,  their 
practice  and  principle  are  no  less  inconsistent  and  contra- 
dictory For  while  they  daily  exhort  people  to  be  faithful 
to  the  end,  showing  them  if  they  continue  not  they  shall 
be  cut  off,  and  fall  short  of  the  reward  ;  which  is  very  true, 
but  no  less  inconsistent  with  that  doctrine  that  affirms  there 
IS  no  hazard,  because  no  possibility  of  departing  from  the 
least  measure  of  true  grace  ;  which  if  true,  it  is  to  no 
purpose  to  beseech  them  to  stand,  to  whom  God  hath  made 
it  impossible  to  fall.  I  shall  not  longer  insist  upon  the 
probation  of  this,  seeing  what  is  said  may  suffice  to  answer 
my  design  ;  and  that  the  thing  is  also  abundantly  proved 
by  many  of  the  same  judgment.  That  this  was  the  doc- 
trine of  the  primitive  Protestants  thence  appears,  that  the 
Augustine  Confession  condemns  it  as  an  error  of  the  Ana- 
baptists to  say.  That  they  who  once  are  justified,  cannot 
lose  the  Holy  Spirit.  Many  such  like  sayings  are  to  be 
found  in  the  common  places  of  Philip  Melancthon.  Vos- 
sius,  in  his  Pelagian  History,  lib.  vi.  testifies,  that  this  was  The  )pin- 
the  common  opinion  of  the  Fathers.  In  the  confirmation  '^Si\Its  * 
of  the  twelfth  thesis,  page  587,  he  hath  these  words :  f^ng"'"^ 
"That  this  which  we  have  said  was  the  common  sentiment  from  grace 
of  antiquity,  those  at  present  can  only  deny,  who  other- 
ways  perhaps  are  men  not  unlearned,  but  nevertheless,  in 
antiquity  altogether  strangers,"  &c.  These  things  thus 
observed,  I  come  to  the  objections  of  our  opposers. 

§  ni.  First,  They  allege,  That  those  places  mentioned  Om  i. 
of  making  shipwreck  of  faith,  are  only  to  be  understood  of 
seeming  faith,  and  not  of  a  real  true  faith. 

This  objection  is  very  weak,  and  apparently  contrary  to  Answ, 
the  text,  1  Tim.  i,  19,  where  the  apostle  addeth  to  faith  a 
good  conscience,  by  way  of  complaint;  whereas  if  their  A  |ood  an^ 
faith  had  been  only  seeming  and  hypocritical,  the  men  had  science, 
been  better  without  it  than  with  it;  neither  had  they  been 
worthy  of  blame  for  losing  that  which  in  itself  was  evU. 
But  the  apostle  expressly  adds  "  and  of  a  good  conscience," 


252 


PROPOSITION  IX. 


which  shows  it  was  real ;  neither  can  it  be  supposed  thai 
men  could  truly  attain  a  good  conscience  without  the  ope- 
ration of  God's  saving  grace ;  far  less  that  a  good  con- 
science doth  consist  with  a  seeming  false  and  hypocritical 
faith.  Again,  these  places  of  the  apostle  being  spoken 
by  way  of  regret,  clearly  import  that  these  attainments  they 
iiad  fallen  from  were  good  and  real,  not  false  and  deceit- 
ful, else  he  would  not  have  regretted  their  falling  from 
them  ;  and  so  he  saith  positively,  "  They  tasted  of  the 
heavenly  gift,  and  were  made  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost," 
&c.,  not  that  they  seemed  to  be  so,  which  showeth  this 
objection  is  very  frivolous. 
Obj. 2.  Secondly,  They  allege,  Phil.  i.  6,  "Being  confident  of 

this  very  thing,  that  he  which  hath  begun  a  good  work  in 
you  will  perform  it  until  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ,"  &c.,  and 
1  Pet.  i.  5 :  "  Who  are  kept  by  the  power  of  God  through 
faith  unto  salvation." 
Answ.  These  scriptures,  as  they  do  not  affirm  any  thing  posi- 

tively contrary  to  us,  so  they  cannot  be  understood  other- 
wise than  as  the  condition  is  performed  upon  our  part. 
Salvation  is  seeing  salvation  is  no  otherways  proposed  there  but  upon 
upon°cer-    certain  necessary  conditions  to  be  performed  by  us,  as  hath 
tain  condi-  been  above  proved,  and  as  our  adversaries  also  acknow- 
to  be  per-    ledge,  as  Rom.  viii.  13  :  "  For  if  ye  live  after  the  flesh,  ye 
(brmed.      ^^^^       .  ^^^^  |p     through  the  spirit  do  mortify  the  deeds 
of  the  body,  ye  shall  live."    And  Heb.  iii.  14:  <<  We  are 
made  partakers  of  Christ,  if  we  hold  the  beginning  of  o'.: 
confidence  steadfast  unto  the  end."    For  if  these  places  of 
the  scripture  upon  which  they  build  their  objection  were 
to  be  admitted  without  these  conditions,  it  would  mani- 
festly overturn  the  whole  tenor  of  their  exhortations  through- 
out all  their  writings.    Some  other  objections  there  are  of 
the  same  nature,  which  are  solved  by  the  same  answers, 
which  also,  because  largely  treated  of  by  others,  I  omit,  to 
come  to  that  testimony  of  the  truth  which  is  more  espe- 
cially ours  in  this  matter,  and  is  contained  in  the  latter  part 
of  the  proposition  in  these  words  :  Yet  such  an  increase 


OF  PERSEVERANCE,  &C. 


253 


iiul  stability  in  the  truth  may  in  this  life  be  attained,  iVoiii 
which  there  cannot  be  a  total  apostasy. 

§  IV.  As  in  the  explanation  of  the  fifth  and  sixth  pro- 
positions I  observed,  that  some  that  had  denied  the  errors 
r  '  othf-fs  concerning  reprobation,  and  affirmed  the  uni- 
versality of  Christ's  death,  did  notwithstanding  fall  short 
X  sufficiently  holding  forth  the  truth,  and  so  gave  the  con- 
.Tary  party  occasion  by  their  defects  to  be  strengthened  in 
their  errors,  so  it  may  be  said  in  this  case.  As  upon  the  The  two 
one  hand  they  err  who  affirm  that  the  least  degree  of  true  some"run 
and  savine  grace  cannot  be  fallen  from,  so  do  they  err'""'.^y^ 

o  o  .  .  serting  a 

upon  the  other  hand  that  deny  any  such  stability  to  be  final  ftllini 

attained  from  which  there  cannot  be  a  total  and  final  apos-  i'ng"fVom" 

tasy.    And  betwixt  these  two  extremes  lieth  the  truth  an-  grace  iir. • 
.  .  .  '  possible, 

parent  in  the  scriptures,  which  God  hath  revealed  unto  us 

by  the  testimony  of  his  Spirit,  and  which  also  we  are  made 
sensible  of  by  our  own  experience.  And  even  as  in  the 
former  controversy  was  observed,  so  also  in  this,  the  de- 
fence of  truth  will  readily  appear  to  such  as  seriously 
weigh  the  matter  ;  for  the  arguments  upon  both  hands, 
rightly  applied,  will  as  to  this  hold  good  ;  and  the  objec- 
tions, which  are  strong  as  they  are  respectively  urged 
against  the  two  opposite  false  opinions,  are  here  easily 
solved,  by  the  establishing  of  this  truth.  For  all  the  argu- 
ments which  these  allege  that  affirm  there  can  be  no  falling 
away,  may  well  be  received  upon  the  one  part,  as  of  those 
who  have  attained  to  this  stability  and  establishment,  and 
their  objections  solved  by  this  confession  ;  so  upon  the 
other  hand,  the  arguments  alleged  from  scripture  testi- 
monies by  those  that  affirm  the  possibility  of  falling  away, 
may  well  be  received  of  such  as  are  not  come  to  this 
establishment,  though  having  attained  a  measure  of  true 
grace.  Thus  then  the  contrary  batterings  of  our  adver- 
.saries,  who  miss  the  truth,  do  concur  the  more  strongly  to 
establish  it,  while  they  are  destroying  each  other.  But 
lest  this  may  not  seem  to  suffice  to  satisfy  such  as  judge  it 
always  possible  for  the  best  of  men  before  they  die  to  fall 
22 


254 


PROPOSITION  IX. 


away,  I  shall  add,  for  the  proof  of  it^  sDme  brief  con 
siderations  from  some  few  testimonies  of  the  scripture. 
I.  §  V.  And  first,  I  freely  acknowledge  that  it  is  good  foi 

ness  and  '  ^'l  to  be  humble,  and  in  this  respect  not  over  confident,  so 
diligencb  IS  gg      j^^j^      (-j^ig       foster  themselves  in  iniquity,  or  lie 

ol  iiidispen-  _  ,      '       ,  ... 

Bai)le  ne-  down  in  security,  as  if  they  had  attained  this  condition, 
cess/ty  .o  gpgjijg  \varchfulness  and  diligence  is  of  indispensable  neces- 
sity to  all  mortal  men,  so  long  as  they  breathe  in  this 
world  ;  for  God  will  have  this  to  be  the  constant  practice 
of  a  Christian,  that  thereby  he  may  be  the  more  fit  to  serve 
him,  and  better  armed  against  all  the  temptations  of  the 
enemy.  For  since  the  wages  of  sin  is  death,  there  is  no 
man,  while  he  sinneth,  and  is  subject  thereunto,  but  may 
lawfully  suppose  himself  capable  of  perishing.  Hence  the 
apostle  Paul  himself  saith,  1  Cor.  ix.  27 :  "  But  I  keep 
under  my  body,  and  bring  it  into  subjection,  lest  that  by 
any  means,  when  I  have  preached  to  others,  I  myself 
should  be  a  cast-away."  Here  the  apostle  supposes  it 
possible  for  him  to  be  a  cast-away,  and  yet  it  may  be 
judged  he  was  far  more  advanced  in  the  inward  work  of 
regeneration,  when  he  wrote  that  epistle,  than  many  who 
now-a-days  too  presumptuously  suppose  they  cannot  fall 
away,  because  they  feel  themselves  to  have  attained  some 
small  degree  of  true  grace.  But  the  apostle  makes  use  of 
this  supposition  or  possibility  of  his  being  a  cast-away,  as 
I  before  observed,  as  an  inducement  to  him  to  be  watch- 
ful ;  "  I  keep  under  my  body,  lest,"  &c.  Nevertheless 
the  same  apostle,  at  another  time,  in  the  sense  and  feeling 
of  God's  holy  power,  and  in  the  dominion  thereof,  finding 
himself  a  conqueror  there-through  over  sin  and  his  soul's 
enemies,  maketh  no  difficulty  to  affirm,  Rom.  viii.  38: 
"  For  I  am  persuaded  that  neither  death  nor  life,"  &c., 
which  clearly  showeth  that  he  had  attained  a  conditicr 
from  which  he  knew  he  could  not  fall  away. 
II  But  secondly.  It  appears  such  a  condition  is  attainable, 

because  we  are  exhorted  to  it ;  and,  as  hath  been  proven 
before,  the  scripture  never  proposeth  to  us  things  impos- 
sible.   Such  an  exhortation  we  have  from  the  apostle 


OF  PERSEVERANCE,  &C. 


256 


2  Pet.  i.  10:  "Wherefore  the  rather,  brethren,  give  dili-  Acotidinon 
gence  to  make  your  calling  and  election  sure,  for  if  ye  do  ^n"uls\\(e, 
these  things  ye  shall  never  fall."    And  though  there  be  a  '^T""' 

.  ,      °    •'  °  ihere  is  no 

condition  here  proposed,  yet  since  we  have  already  proved  falling 
that  it  is  possible  to  fulfil  this  condition,  then  also  the  pro-  '^'^'^y- 
nise  annexed  thereunto  may  be  attained.  And  since, 
fthere  assurance  is  wanting,  there  is  still  a  place  left  for 
lioubtings  and  despairs,  if  we  should  affirm  it  never  attain- 
able, then  should  there  never  be  a  place  known  by  the 
saints  in  this  world,  wherein  they  might  be  free  of  doubt- 
ing and  despair ;  which  as  it  is  most  absurd  in  itself,  so  it 
is  contrary  to  the  manifest  experience  of  thousands. 

Thirdly,  God  hath  given  to  many  of  his  saints  and  chil-  III. 
dren,  and  is  ready  to  give  unto  all  a  full  and  certain  ^guTance 
assurance  that  thev  are  his,  and  that  no  power  shall  be  able  estab- 

/  *.  Iishment 

to  pluck  them  out  of  his  hand.    But  this  assurance  would  given  of 
be  no  assurance,  if  those  who  are  so  assured  were  not  J^anyofhii 
established  and  confirmed  beyond  all  doubt  and  hesita-  saints  and 

•/•I  1     1        •  -1  i-      /•  1  children, 

tion  :  it  so,  then  surely  there  is  no  possibility  tor  such  to 

miss  of  that  which  God  hath  assured  them  of.  And  that 
there  is  such  a.ssurance  attainable  in  this  life,  the  .scripture 
abundantly  declareth,  both  in  general  and  as  to  particular 
persons.  As  first,  Rev.  iii.  12:  "Him  that  overcometh 
will  I  make  a  pillar  in  the  temple  of  my  God,  and  he  shall 
go  no  more  out,"&c.,  which  containeth  a  general  promise 
unto  all.  Hence  the  aj)ostle  speaks  of  some  that  are  sealed, 
2  Cor.  i.  22 :  "  Who  hath  also  sealed  us,  and  given  the 
earnest  of  the  Spirit  in  our  hearts:"  wherefore  the  Spirit 
so  sealing  is  called  the  earnest  or  '<  pledge  of  our  in- 
heritance," Eph.  i.  13,  "In  whom  ye  were  sealed  with 
that  Holy  Spirit  of  promise."  .'Vnd  therefore  the  apostle 
Prul,  not  only  in  that  of  the  Romans  above  noted,  de- 
'clareth  himself  to  have  attained  that  condition,  but  2  Tim. 
iv.  7,  he  affirmeth  in  these  words,  "I  have  fought  a  good 
fight,"  &c.,  which  also  many  good  men  have  and  do  wit- 
ness. And  therefore,  as  there  can  be  nothing  more  evident 
than  that  which  the  manifest  experience  of  this  time  show- 
«th  and  therein  is  found  agreeable  to  the  experience  of 


256 


PROPOSITION  X. 


former  times,  so  we  see  there  have  been  both  of  old  and 
of  late  that  have  turned  the  grace  of  God  into  wantonness, 
and  have  fallen  from  their  faith  and  integrity ;  thence  we 
may  safely  conclude  such  a  falling  away  possible.  We 
also  see  that  some  of  old  and  of  late  have  attained  a  cer- 
tain assurance,  some  time  before  they  departed,  that  they 
should  inherit  eternal  life,  and  have  sccordingly  died  in 
that  good  hope,  of  and  concerning  whom  the  Spirit  of  Clod 
testified  that  they  are  saved.  Wherefore  we  also  see  such  a 
state  is  attainable  in  this  life,  from  which  there  is  not  a  fall- 
ing away:  for  seeing  the  Spirit  of  God  did  so  testify,  it 
was  not  possible  that  they  should  perish,  concerning  whom 
he  who  cannot  lie  thus  bare  witness. 


PROPOSITION  X. 

Concerning  the  Ministry. 

As  by  the  light  or  gift  of  God  all  true  knowledge  in  things 
spiritual  is  received  and  revealed,  so  by  the  same,  as  it 
is  manifested  and  received  in  the  heart,  by  the  strength 
and  power  thereof,  every  true  minister  of  the  gospel  is 
ordained,  prepared,  and  supplied  in  the  work  of  the 
ministry ;  and  by  the  leading,  moving,  and  drawing 
hereof,  ought  every  evangelist  and  Christian  pastor  to  be 
led  and  ordered  in  his  labour  and  work  of  the  gospel, 
both  as  to  the  place  where,  as  to  the  persons  to  whom, 
and  as  to  the  titne  wherein  he  is  to  minister.  Moreover, 
they  who  have  this  authority  may  and  ought  to  preach 
the  gospel,  though  without  human  commission  or  litera- 
ture ;  as  on  the  other  hand,  they  who  want  the  authority 
of  this  divine  gift,  however  learned,  or  authorized  by  the 
commission  of  men  and  churches,  are  to  be  esteemed  but 
The  gospel  as  deceivers,  and  not  true  ministers  of  the  gospel.  Also 
weached  ^^^i  ^^'"^  ^i^ve  received  this  holy  and  unspotted  gift,  as 
freely.  they  have  freely  received  it,  so  are  they  freely  to  give  it, 

without  hire  or  bargaining,  far  less  to  use  it  as  a  trade  to 


OF  THE  MINISTRY. 


267 


get  money  by:  yet  if  God  halli  called  any  tne  from  their 
enaployraent  or  trades,  by  which  they  acquire  their  live- 
'ihood,  it  may  be  lawful  for  such,  according  to  the  liberty 
which  they  feel  given  them  in  the  Lord,  to  receive  such 
temporals  (to  wit,  what  may  be  needful  for  them  for  meat 
and  clothing)  as  are  given  them  freely  and  cordially  by 
those,  to  whom  they  have  communicated  spirituals. 

§  I.  Hitherto  I  have  treated  of  those  things  which  re- 
late to  the  Christian  faith  and  Christians,  as  they  stand  each 
in  his  private  and  particular  condition,  and  how  and  by 
what  means  every  man  may  be  a  Christian  indeed,  and  so 
abide.  Now  I  come  in  order  to  speak  of  those  things  that 
relate  to  Christians,  as  they  are  stated  in  a  joint  fellowship 
and  communion,  and  come  under  a  visible  and  outward 
society,  which  society  is  called  the  church  of  God,  and  in  Theciiurc* 
scripture  compared  to  a  body,  and  therefore  named  the  "he^pfru. 

body  of  Christ.  As  then  in  the  natural  body  there  beu^'bodyof 
1-  1  11  •  1  ,    r  Christ, 

divers  members,  all  concurring  to  the  common  end  ot  pre- 
serving and  confirming  the  whole  body,  so  in  this  spiritual 
ind  mystical  body  there  are  also  divers  members,  accord- 
mg  to  the  different  measures  of  grace  and  of  the  Spirit 
diversely  administered  unto  each  member ;  and  from  this 
diversity  ariseth  that  distinction  of  persons  in  the  visible 
society  of  Christians,  as  of  apostles,  pastors,  evangelists, 
ministers,  &c.  That  which  in  this  proposition  is  proposed, 
is.  What  makes  or  constitutes  any  a  minister  of  the  church, 
what  his  qualifications  ought  to  be,  and  how  he  ought  to 
behave  himself.  But  because  it  may  seem  somewhat  pre- 
posterous to  speak  of  the  distinct  offices  of  the  church,  until 
something  be  said  of  the  church  in  general,  though  nothing 
positively  be  said  of  it  in  the  proposition  ;  yet,  as  here  im- 
plied, I  shall  briefly  premise  something  thereof,  and  then 
proceed  to  the  particular  members  of  it. 

§  II.  It  is  not  in  the  least  my  design,  to  meddle  with 
those  tedious  and  many  controversies,  wherewith  the  Papist.s 
and  Protestants  do  tear  one  another  concerning  this  thing; 
but  only  according  to  the  truth  manifested  to  me,  an  J  re- 
22  *  2  11 


25S 


PROPOSITION  X. 


The  tfty. 
mology  ){ 
the  word 

the  church 
and  signifi- 
cation of  it 


No  salva- 
tion with- 
out the 
church. 


What  the 
eaurch  is. 


vealed  in  me  by  the  testimony  of  the  Spirit,  actiording  to 
that  proportion  of  wisdom  given  me,  briefly  to  hold  forth 
as  a  necessary  introduction  both  to  this  mattei  of  the 
ministry  and  of  worship  which  followeth,  those  things  which 
I,  together  with  my  brethren,  do  believe  concerning  the 
church. 

The  church  then,  according  to  the  grammatical  signifi- 
cation of  the  word,  as  it  is  used  in  the  holy  scripture, 
signifies  an  assembly  or  gathering  of  many  into  one  place ; 
for  the  substantive  exxkyiaia.  comes  from  the  word  ixxaXiu,  1 
call  out  of,  and  originally  from  xaXe'w,  I  call ;  and  indeed, 
as  this  is  the  grammatical  sense  of  the  word,  so  also  it  is 
the  real  and  proper  signification  of  the  thing,  the  church 
being  no  other  thing  but  the  society,  gathering,  or  company 
of  such  as  God  hath  called  out  of  the  world,  and  worldly 
spirit,  to  walk  in  his  Light  and  Life.  The  church  then  so 
defined  is  to  be  considered,  as  it  comprehends  all  that  are 
thus  called  and  gathered  truly  by  God,  both  such  as  are 
yet  in  this  inferior  world,  and  such  as  having  already  laid 
down  the  earthly  tabernacle,  are  passed  into  their  heavenly 
mansions,  which  together  do  make  up  the  one  catholic 
church,  concerning  which  there  is  so  much  controversy. 
Out  of  which  church  we  freely  acknowledge  there  can  be 
no  salvation  ;  because  under  this  church  and  its  denomina- 
tion are  comprehended  all,  and  as  many,  of  whatsoever 
nation,  kindred,  tongue,  or  people  they  be,  though  out- 
wardly strangers,  and  remote  from  those  who  profess  Christ 
and  Christianity  in  words,  and  have  the  benefit  of  the 
scriptures,  as  become  obedient  to  the  holy  light  and  testi- 
mony of  God  in  their  hearts,  so  as  to  become  sanctified  by 
it,  and  cleansed  from  the  evils  of  their  ways.  For  this  is 
the  universal  or  catholic  spirit,  by  which  many  are  called 
from  all  the  four  corners  of  the  earth,  and  shall  sit  down 
with  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob :  by  this  the  secret  life 
and  virtue  of  Jesus  is  conveyed  into  many  that  are  afar  off, 
even  as  by  the  blood  that  runs  into  the  veins  and  arteries 
of  the  natural  body,  the  life  is  conveyed  from  the  head  and 
heart  unto  the  extreme  parts.    There  may  be  members 


OF  THE  MINISTRY. 


259 


therefore  of  this  catholic  church  both  Among  heatht.i,  Turks  nn<l 
Turks,  Jews,  and  all  the  several  sorts  of  Christians,  men  become"*' 
and  women  of  integrity  and  simplicity  of  heart,  who  though 
blinded  in  some  things  in  their  understanding,  and  perhaps  church, 
burdened  with  the  superstitions  and  formality  of  the  several 
sects  in  which  they  are  engrossed,  yet  being  upright  in  their 
hearts  before  the  Lord,  chiefly  aiming  and  labouring  to  be 
<lelivered  from  iniquity,  and  loving  to  follow  righteousness, 
are  by  the  secret  touches  of  this  holy  light  in  their  souls 
enlivened  and  quickened,  thereby  secretly  united  to  God, 
and  there-through  become  true  members  of  this  catholic 
church.  Now  the  church  in  this  respect  hath  been  in  being 
in  all  generations  ;  for  God  never  wanted  some  such  wit- 
nesses for  him,  though  many  times  slighted,  and  not  much 
observed  by  this  world  ;  and  therefore  this  church,  though 
still  in  being,  hath  been  oftentimes  as  it  were  invisible,  in 
that  it  hath  not  come  under  the  observation  of  the  men  of 
this  world,  being,  as  saith  the  scripture,  Jer.  iii.  14,  '<  one 
of  a  city,  and  two  of  a  family."  And  yet  though  the  church 
thus  considered  may  be  as  it  were  hid  from  wicked  men, 
as  not  then  gathered  into  a  visible  fellowship,  yea  and  not 
observed  even  by  some  that  are  members  of  it,  yet  may 
there  notwithstanding  many  belong  to  it ;  as  when  Elias 
complained  he  was  left  alone,  1  Kings  xix.  18,  God  an- 
swered unto  him,  "I  have  reserved  to  myself  seven  thou- 
sand men,  who  have  not  bowed  their  knees  to  the  image 
of  Baal ;"  whence  the  apostle  argues,  Rom.  xi.,  the  being 
of  a  remnant  in  his  day. 

S  III.  Secondly,  The  church  is  to  be  considered  as  it  ^,  . 
signui  ■  .  certain  number  of  persons  gathered  by  God  s  tion  oi  the 
Spirit,  rt/i,.  by  the  testimony  of  some  of  his  servants  raised  Ooiras'g* 
up  for  that  end,  unto  the  belief  of  the  true  principles  and  tliered  into 

3  Visible 

doctrines  of  the  Christian  faith,  who  through  their  hearts  le  lowship 
being  united  by  the  same  love,  and  their  understandings 
informed  in  the  same  truths,  gather,  meet,  and  assemble 
together  to  wail  upon  God,  to  worship  him,  and  to  bear  a 
joint  testimony  for  the  truth  against  error,  sufliL-ring  for  the 
same,  and  so  becoming  through  this  fellowship  as  one 


260 


PROPOSITION  X. 


How  to  be 
come  a 
member 
of  that 
cburch. 


The  out- 
ward pro- 
fession of 
the  mem- 
bers of 
the  true 
church. 


family  and  household  in  certain  respects,  do  euch  of  Iheni 
watch  over,  teach,  instruct,  and  care  for  one  another,  ac 
(.ording  to  their  several  measures  and  attainments  :  sue! 
were  the  churches  of  the  primitive  times  gathered  by  the 
apostles ;  whereof  we  have  divers  mentioned  in  the  holy 
scriptures.  And  as  to  the  visibility  of  the  church  in  this 
respect,  there  hath  been  a  great  interruption  since  the 
apostles'  days,  by  reason  of  the  apostasy,  as  will  hereafter 
appear. 

§  IV.  To  be  a  member  then  of  the  Catholic  church, 
there  is  need  of  the  inward  calling  of  God  by  his  light  in 
the  heart,  and  a  being  leavened  into  the  nature  and  spirit 
of  it,  so  as  to  forsake  unrighteousness,  and  be  turned  to 
righteousness,  and  in  the  inwardness  of  the  mind,  to  be 
cut  out  of  the  wild  olive  tree  of  our  own  first  fallen 
nature,  and  ingrafted  into  Christ  by  his  Word  and  Spirit 
in  the  heart.  And  this  may  be  done  in  those  who  are 
strangers  to  the  history,  God  not  having  pleased  to  make 
them  partakers  thereof,  as  in  the  fifth  and  sixth  propositions 
hath  already  been  proved. 

To  be  a  member  of  a  particular  church  of  Christ,  as  thin 
inward  work  is  indispensably  necessary,  so  is  also  the  out' 
ward  profession  of,  and  belief  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  those 
holy  truths  delivered  by  his  Spirit  in  the  scriptures  ;  seeing 
the  testimony  of  the  Spirit  recorded  in  the  scriptures,  doth 
answer  the  testimony  of  the  same  Spirit  in  the  heart,  even 
as  face  answereth  face  in  a  glass.  Hence  it  follows,  that 
Ihe  inward  work  of  holiness,  and  forsaking  iniquity,  is 
necessary  in  every  respect  to  the  being  a  member  in  the 
church  of  Christ ;  and  that  the  outward  profession  is  neces- 
sary to  be  a  member  of  a  particular  gathered  church,  but 
not  to  the  being  a  member  of  the  Catholic  church  ;  yet  it 
is  absolutely  necessary,  where  God  aflfords  the  opportunity 
of  knowing  it:  and  the  outward  testimony  is  to  be  believed, 
where  it  is  presented  and  revealed  ;  the  sum  whereof  hath 
upon  other  occasions  been  already  proved. 

§  V.  But  contrary  hereunto,  the  devil,  that  vvorketh  and 
hath  wrought  in  the  mystery  of  iniquity,  hath  taught  his 


OK  THK  MINISTRY. 


261 


'bllowers  to  affirm;  Tliat  no  man,  however  holy,  is  a  mem-  The  mem 
her  of  the  church  of  Christ  without  the  outward  profession  ;  Amichris" 
and  unless  he  be  initiated  thereinto  by  some  outward  cere-  "a"  churdi 

■'  .  in  the  apos 

monies.    And  again.  That  men  who  have  this  outward  ta^^y,  iheir 

profession,  though  inwardly  unholy,  may  be  members  of  fe'^^ion.'"^*'" 

the  true  church  of  Christ,  yea,  and  ought  to  be  so  esteemed. 

This  is  plainly  to  put  light  for  darkness,  and  darkness  for 

light ;  as  if  God  had  a  greater  regard  to  words  than 

actions,  and  were  more  pleased  with  vain  professions  than 

with  real  holiness  ;  but  these  things  I  have  sufficiently 

refuted  heretofore.    Only  from  hence  let  it  be  observed, 

that  upon  this  false  and  rotten  foundation  Antichrist  hath 

built  his  Babylonish  structure,  and  the  Antichristian  church 

in  the  apostasy  hath  hereby  reared  herself  up  to  that  height 

and  grandeur  she  hath  attained  ;  so  as  to  exalt  herself 

above  all  that  is  called  God,  and  sit  in  the  temple  of  God 

as  God. 

For  the  particular  churches  of  Christ,  gathered  in  the  The  decay 

apostles'  days,  soon  after  beginning  to  decay  as  to  the  church. 

inward  life,  came  to  be  overgrown  with  several  errors,  and 

the  hearts  of  the  professors  of  Christianity  to  be  leavened 

with  the  old  spirit  and  conversation  of  the  world.    Yet  it 

pleased  God  for  some  centuries  to  preserve  that  life  in 

many,  whom  he  emboldened  with  zeal  to  stand  and  sufler  When  me* 

for  his  name  through  the  ten  persecutions :  but  these  being  chTistfans 

over,  the  meekness,  gentleness,  love,  lonsf-sufferinar,  sjood-  by  birth, 

1  r  r^,   •    ■     ■      .  ,      ,        and  not  by 

ness,  and  temperance  of  Christianity  began  to  be  lost,  conversion, 

For  after  that  the  princes  of  the  earth  came  to  take  upon  them  [^^came'tli 
that  profession,  and  that  it  ceased  to  be  a  reproach  to  be  a  ^>«?  lost- 
Christian,  but  rather  became  a  means  to  preferment ;  men 
bi  ?ame  such  by  birth  and  education,  and  not  by  conver- 
sion and  renovation  of  spirit:  then  there  was  none  so  vile, 
none  so  wicked,  none  so  profane,  who  became  not  a  mem- 
ber of  the  church.  And  the  teachers  and  pastors  thereof 
becoming  the  companions  of  princes,  and  so  being  en- 
riched by  their  benevolence,  and  getting  vast  treasures  and 
eftates,  became  puffed  up,  and  as  it  were  drunken  with  the 
vain  pomp  and  glory  of  this  world :  and  so  marshalled 


262 


PROPOSITION  X. 


Ill  the 
church  of 
Rome  are 
no  less  su- 
perstitions 
and  cere- 
monies in- 
troduced, 
than  were 
eil  her 
among 
Jews  or 
heathen. 


Whether, 
and  what 
diirerence 
t  here  is  be- 
twixt the 
Protestants 
and  Papists 
in  supersti- 
tions T 


themselves  in  manifold  orders  and  degrees ;  not  withoui 
innumerable  contests  and  altercations  who  should  have  the 
precedency,*  So  the  virtue,  life,  substance,  and  kernel  of 
the  Christian  religion  came  to  be  lost,  and  nothing  remained 
but  a  shadow  and  image  ;  which  dead  image,  or  carcast 
of  Christianity,  to  make  it  take  the  better  with  the  super- 
stitious multitude  of  heathen  that  were  engrossed  in  it, 
not  by  any  inward  conversion  of  their  hearts,  or  by  becom- 
ing less  wicked,  or  superstitious,  but  by  a  little  change  in 
the  object  of  their  superstition,  not  having  the  inward 
ornament  and  life  of  the  Spirit,  became  decked  with  many 
outward  and  visible  orders,  and  beautified  with  the  gold, 
silver,  precious  stones,  and  the  other  splendid  ornaments 
of  this  perishing  world  ;  so  that  this  was  no  more  to  be 
accounted  the  Christian  religion,  and  Christian  church, 
notwithstanding  the  outward  profession,  than  the  dead 
body  of  a  man  is  to  be  accounted  a  living  man  ;  which, 
however  cunningly  embalmed,  and  adorned  with  ever  so 
much  gold  or  silver,  or  most  precious  stones,  or  sweet 
ointments,  is  but  a  dead  body  still,  without  sense,  life,  or 
motion.  For  that  apostate  church  of  Rome  has  introduced 
no  fewer  ceremonies  and  superstitions  into  the  Christian 
profession,  than  were  either  among  Jews  or  heathen ; 
and  that  there  is  and  hath  been  as  much,  yea,  and  more 
pride,  covetousness,  uncleanness,  luxury,  fornication, 
profaneness  and  atheism  among  her  teachers  and  chief 
bishops,  than  ever  was  among  any  sort  of  people,  none 
need  doubt,  that  have  read  their  own  authors,  to  wit,  Platina 
and  others. 

Now,  though  Protestants  have  reformed  from  her  in  some 
of  the  most  gross  points  and  absurd  doctrines  relating  to 
the  church  and  ministry,  yet,  which  is  to  be  regretted,  they 
have  only  lopped  the  branches,  but  retain  and  plead  ear- 
nestly for  the  same  root,  from  which  these  abuses  have 
sprung.  So  that  even  among  them,  though  all  that  mass 
of  superstition,  ceremonies,  and  orders  be  not  again  estab- 


*  As  was  betwixt  the  bishop  of  Rome,  and  the  bishop  of  Constantinople 


OF  THE  MINISTRY. 


263 


hshed,  yet  the  same  pride,  covetousness  and  sensuality 

is  found  to  have  overspread  and  leavened  their  churches 

and  ministry,  and  the  life,  power  and  virtue  of  true  religion 

is  lost  among  them  ;  and  the  very  same  death,  barrenness, 

dryness  and  emptiness,  is  found  in  their  ministry.  So 

that  in  effect  they  differ  from  PapistSj  but  in  form  and  some 

ceremonies ;  being  with  them  apostatised  from  the  life  and 

power  the  true  primitive  church  and  her  pastors  were  in  : 

so  that  of  both  it  may  be  said  truly,  without  breach  of 

charity,  that  having  only  a  form  of  godliness,  and  many  of 

them  not  so  much  as  that,  they  are  deniers  of,  yea,  enemies 

to,  the  power  of  it.    And  this  proceeds  not  simply  from 

their  not  walking  answerably  to  their  own  principles,  and 

so  degenerating  that  way,  which  also  is  true  ;  but,  which 

is  worse,  their  laying  down  to  themselves,  and  adhering  to 

certain  principles,  which  naturally,  as  a  cursed  root,  bring 

forth  these  bitter  fruits:  these  therefore  shall  afterwards  be 

examined  and  refuted,  as  the  contrary  positions  of  truth  in 

the  proposition  are  explained  and  proved. 

For  as  to  the  nature  and  constitution  of  a  church,*    ,  e.  n«- 

abstract  from  their  disputes  concerning  its  constant  visi-  ThTpro- 

bility,  infallibility,  and  the  primacy  of  the  church  of  Rome,  ^^^'^^j^' 

the  Protestants,  as  in  practice,  so  in  principles,  differ  not  how  they 

from  Papists ;  for  they  engross  within  the  compass  of  their  m'ffmb'ers 

church,  whole  nations,  making  their  infants  members  of  'hereof. 

it,  by  sprinkling  a  little  water  upon  them  ;  so  that  there  is 

none  so  wicked  or  profane  who  is  not  a  fellow-rnember ; 

no  evidence  of  holiness  being  required  to  constitute  a 

member  of  the  church.    Nay,  look  through  the  Protestant 

nations,  and  there  will  no  difference  appear  in  the  lives  of 

(he  generality  of  the  one,  more  than  of  the  other  ;  he, 

who  ruleth  in  the  children  of  disobedience,  reigningr  in  Chrisuaiii 

.  ty  chiefly 

both:  so  that  the  reformation,  through  this  defect,  is  only  consisieth 
in  holdinsr  some  less  gross  errors  in  the  notion,  but  not  in 

is  o  newtng  of 

having  the  heart  reformed  and  renewed,  in  which  mainly  the  heart, 
the  life  of  Christiinity  consisteth. 

§  VI.  But  the  Popish  errors  concerning  the  ministry, 
which  they  have  retained,  are  most  of  all  to  be  regretted, 


264 


PROPOSITION  X. 


A  Popish    by  which  chiefly  the  life  and  power  of  Christianity  is  bar 
n?stry'air''  '"^^'^        among  them,  and  they  kept  in  death,  barrenness 
fow^         ^^'^  dryness :  there  being  nothing  more  hurtful  than  an 
error  in  this  respect.     For  where  a  false  and  corrupt 
ministry  entereth,  all  manner  of  other  evils  follow  upon  it, 
Like  peo-    according  to  that  scripture  adage,  "Like  people,  like 
pHes't'.'^'^     priest :"  for  by  their  influence,  instead  of  ministering  life 
Hosea  iv.  9.  g,^  J  righteousness,  they  minister  death  and  iniquity.  The 
whole  backslidings  of  the  Jewish  congregation  of  old  are 
hereto  ascribed  :  "The  leaders  of  my  people  have  caused 
them  to  err."    The  whole  writings  of  the  prophets  are  full 
of  such  complaints  ;  and  for  this  cause,  under  the  New 
Testament,  we  are  so  often  warned  and  guarded  to  "  be- 
ware of  false  prophets,  and  false  teachers,"  &c.  What 
may  be  thought  then,  where  all,  as  to  this,  is  out  of  order; 
where  both  the  foundation,  call,  qualifications,  maintenance, 
and  whole  discipline  are  different  from  and  opposite  to  the 
ministry  of  the  primitive  church  ;  yea,  and  necessarily  tend 
to  the  shutting  out  of  a  spiritual  ministry,  and  the  bring- 
ing in  and  establishing  of  a  carnal  ?   This  shall  appear  by 
parts. 

QrEs.  I.        §  VII.  That  then  which  comes  first  to  be  questioned  in 
this  matter,  is  concerning  the  call  of  a  minister;  to  wit, 
What  maketh,  or  how  cometh  a  man  to  be,  a  minister, 
pastor,  or  teacher  in  the  church  of  Christ .'' 
Answ.  We  answer ;  By  the  inward  power  and  virtue  of  the 

Spirit  of  God.    For,  as  saith  our  proposition,  Having  re- 
The  call  of  ceived  the  true  knowledge  of  things  spiritual  by  the  Spirit 
and'where-  of  God,  without  which  they  cannot  be  known,  and  being 
in  It  con-    j^y       same  in  measure  purified  and  sanctified,  he  comes 
thereby  to  be  called  and  moved  to  minister  to  others ;  be- 
ing able  to  speak,  from  a  living  experience,  of  what  he 
himself  is  a  witness  ;  and  therefore  knowing  the  terror  of 
the  Lord,  he  is  fit  to  persuade  men,    &c.,  2  Cor.  v.  :1, 
and  his  words  and  ministry,  proceeding  from  the  inwara 
power  and  virtue,  reach  to  the  heart  of  his  hearers,  and 
make  them  approve  of  him,  and  be  subject  unto  him.  Our 
Obiict.     adversaries  are  forced  to  confess,  that  this  were  indeed 


OF  THK  MINISTRY. 


265 


Jesirable  and  best ;  but  this  they  will  not  have  to  be  abso- 
lutely necessary.  I  shall  first  prove  the  necessity  of  it,  and 
then  show  how  much  they  err  in  that  which  they  make 
more  necessary  than  this  divine  and  heavenly  call. 

First ;  That  which  is  necessary  to  make  a  man  a  Chris-  Aro. 
tian,  so  as  without  it  he  cannot  be  truly  one,  must  be  much  'esTi'ty  "* 
more  necessary  to  make  a  man  a  minister  of  Christianity  ;  an  inward 
seeing  the  one  is  a  degree  above  the  other,  and  has  it  in-  make  a 
-luded  in  it ;  nothing  less  than  he  that  supposeth  a  master,  chris'tian. 
supposeth  him  first  to  have  attained  the  knowledge  and 
capacity  of  a  scholar.    They  that  are  not  Christians,  can- 
not be  teachers  and  ministers  among  Christians. 

But  this  inward  call,  power  and  virtue  of  the  Spirit  of 
God,  is  necessary  to  make  a  man  a  Christian  ;  as  we  have 
abundantly  proved  before  in  the  second  proposition,  ac- 
cording to  these  scriptures,  "He  that  hath  not  the  Spirit 
of  Christ,  is  none  of  his."  "  As  many  as  are  led  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  are  the  Sons  of  God  :" 

Therefore  this  call,  moving  and  drawing  of  the  Spirit, 
must  be  much  more  necessary  to  make  a  minister. 

Secondly;  All  ministers  of  the  New  Testament  ought  2.  Thr  mi 
to  be  ministers  of  the  Spirit,  and  not  of  the  letter,  accord-  "he  SpirU 
ing  to  that  of  2  Cor.  iii.  6,  and  as  the  old  Latin  hath  it,  requires th. 
"  Not  by  the  letter,  but  by  the  Spirit."    But  how  can  a  and  testi- 
man  be  a  minister  of  the  Spirit,  who  is  not  inwardly  called  Jhe"spirit 
by  it,  and  who  looks  not  upon  the  operation  and  testimony 
of  the  Spirit  as  essential  to  his  call  ?   As  he  could  not  be  a 
minister  of  the  letter  who  had  thence  no  ground  for  his 
call,  yea,  who  was  altogether  a  stranger  to  and  unac- 
quainted with  it,  so  neither  can  he  be  a  minister  of  the 
Spirit  who  is  a  stranger  to  it,  and  unacquainted  with  the 
motions  thereof,  and  knows  it  not  to  draw,  act,  and  move 
him,  and  go  before  him  in  the  work  of  the  ministry.  I 
would  willingly  know,  how  those  that  take  upon  them  to 
be  ministers,  as  they  suppose,  of  the  gospel,  merely  from 
an  outward  vocation,  without  so  much  as  being  any  way? 
sensible  of  the  work  of  the  Spirit,  or  any  inward  call  there- 
from, can  either  satisfy  themselves  or  others  that  they  are 
23  2 1 


266 


PROPOSITION  X. 


ministers  of  the  Spirit,  or  wherein  they  differ  from  the 

ministers  of  the  letter  ?  For, 

3.  Undoi  Thirdly  ;  If  this  inward  call,  or  testimony  of  the  Spirit, 
peopfe^  '  ^  ^^■'^'""^  "'^t  essential  and  necessary  to  a  minister,  then  the 
to  doubt""'  fiiinistry  of  the  New  Testament  would  not  only  be  no  ways 
who  should  preferable  to,  but  in  divers  respects  far  worse  than  that  of 
and''mtnis-  For  under  the  law  there  was  a  certain  tribe 
•ers.         allotted  for  the  ministry,  and  of  that  tribe  certain  families 

set  apart  for  the  priesthood  and  other  offices,  by  the  im- 
mediate command  of  God  to  Moses ;  so  that  the  people 
needed  not  be  in  any  doubt  who  should  be  priests  and 
ministers  of  the  holy  things :  yea,  and  besides  this,  God 
called  forth,  by  the  immediate  testimony  of  his  Spirit, 
several  at  divers  times  to  teach,  instruct,  and  reprove  his 
people,  as  Samuel,  Nathan,  Elias,  Elisha,  Jeremiah,  Amos, 
and  many  more  of  the  prophets :  but  now  under  the  new 
covenant,  where  the  ministry  ought  to  be  more  spiritual, 
the  way  more  certain,  and  the  access  more  easy  unto  the 
Lord,  our  adversaries,  by  denying  the  necessity  of  this  in- 
ward and  spiritual  vocation,  make  it  quite  otherways.  For 
there  being  now  no  certain  family  or  tribe  to  which  the 
ministry  is  limited,  we  are  left  in  uncertainty,  to  choose 
and  have  pastors  at  a  venture,  without  any  certain  assent 
of  the  will  of  God ;  having  neither  an  outward  rule  nor 
certainty  in  this  affair  to  walk  by :  for  that  the  scripture 
cannot  give  any  certain  rule  in  this  matter,  hath  in  the 
third  proposition  concerning  it  been  already  shown. 

4.  Christ  Fourthly  ;  Christ  proclaims  them  all  thieves  and  rob- 
the  door,  j^pi-g^  enter  not  by  him  the  door  into  the  sheepfold, 
Fohn  X.  1,   but  climb  up  some  other  way  ;  whom  the  sheep  ought  not 

to  hear :  but  such  as  come  in  without  the  call,  movings, 
and  leadings  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  wherewith  he  leads 
his  children  into  all  truth,  come  in  certainly  not  by  Christ, 
who  is  the  door,  but  some  other  way,  and  therefore  are  not 
true  shepherds. 

§  VIII.  To  all  this  they  object  the  succession  of  the 
church ;  alleging,  That  since  Christ  gave  a  call  to  hi.s 
apostles  and  disciples,  they  have  conveyed  that  call  to 


OF  THE  MINISTRY. 


267 


their  successors,  having  power  to  ordain  pastors  and  Successior 
teachers ;  by  which  power  the  authority  of  ordaining  and  fhe^ftlse''^ 
making  ministers  and  pastors  is  successively  conveyed  to  j^^'j^'J^'^^Qj^^jg, 
us ;  so  that  such,  who  are  ordained  and  called  by  the  and  his 
pastors  of  the  church,  are  therefore  true  and  lawful  minis-  ''P"®''^^- 
ters;  and  others,  who  are  not  so  called,  are  to  be  accounted 
but  intruders.    Hereunto  also  some  Protestants  add  a  ne- 
cessity, though  they  make  it  not  a  thing  essential ;  I'hat 
besides  this  calling  of  the  church,  every  one,  being  called, 
ought  to  have  the  inward  call  of  the  Spirit,  inclining  him 
no  chosen  to  his  work  :  but  this  they  say  is  subjective,  and 
not  objective  ;  of  which  before. 

As  to  what  is  subjoined  of  the  inward  call  of  the  Spirit,  Answ. 
in  that  they  make  it  not  essential  to  a  true  call,  but  a  su- 
pererogation as  it  were,  it  showeth  how  little  they  set  by 
it :  since  those  they  admit  to  the  ministry  are  not  so  much 
as  questioned  in  their  trials,  whether  they  have  this  or  not. 
Yet,  in  that  it  hath  been  often  mentioned,  especially  by  the  The  call  of 

primitive  Protestants  in  their  treatises  on  this  subject,  it  'he  Spirit 
»  J  ^"-i      preferred  to 

showeth  how  much  they  were  secretly  convinced  in  their  any  other 
minds,  that  this  inward  call  of  the  Spirit  was  most  excel-  Uve^'pro- 
lent,  and  preferable  to  any  other;  and  therefore  in  the  most 
noble  and  heroic  acts  of  the  reformation,  they  laid  claim 
unto  it ;  so  that  many  of  the  primitive  Protestants  did  not 
scruple  both  to  despise  and  disown  this  outward*  call,  *  Succes- 
when  urged  by  the  Papists  against  them.    But  now  Pro-  Modern 
testants,  having  gone  from  the  testimony  of  the  Spirit,  plead  Protestants 

-      .  •  1.    ■  1   ,      ,  ,  denyingth* 

tor  the  same  succession ;  and  bemg  pressed  (by  those  whom  call  of  the 
God  now  raiseth  up  by  his  Spirit  to  reform  those  abuses  ^P'"'- 
that  are  among  them)  with  the  example  of  their  forefathers' 
practice  against  Rome,  they  are  not  at  all  ashamed  utterly 
to  deny  that  their  fathers  were  called  to  their  work  by  the 
inward  and  immediate  vocation  of  the  Spirit ;  clothing 
themselves  with  that  call,  which  they  say  their  forefathers 
had,  as  pastors  of  the  Roman  church.  For  thus  (not  to  go 
further)  affirmeth  Nicolaus  Arnoldus,f  in  a  pamphlet  written 

■j-  Who  gives  himself  out  Doctor  and  Professor  of  Sacred  Theology 
at  Franequer. 


268 


PROPOSITION  X. 


against  the  same  propositions,  called,  A  Theological  Exer- 
citation,  sect,  xl.,  averring,  That  they  pretended  not  to  an 
immediate  act  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  but  reformed  by  the 
virtue  of  the  ordinary  vocation  which  they  had  in  the 
church,  as  it  then  was,  to  wit,  that  of  Rome,  &c. 

§  IX.  Many  absurdities  do  Protestants  fall  into,  by  de- 
riving their  ministry  thus  through  the  church  of  Rome. 
Absurdi-    As,  first.  They  must  acknowledge  her  to  be  a  true  church 
tesunts  fall      Christ,  though  only  erroneous  in  some  things ;  which 

into,  by  de- contradicts  their  forefathers  so  frequently,  and  yet  truly, 
nving  their  .     •  i   •         o  n      m.  j  j' 

ministry     calluig  her  Antichrist.    Secondly,  Ihey  must  needs  ac- 

cfccftf'^  knowledge,  that  the  priests  and  bishops  of  the  Romish 
Rome.  church  are  true  ministers  and  pastors  of  the  church  of 
Clirist,  as  to  the  essential  part ;  else  they  could  not  be  fit 
subjects  for  that  power  and  authority  to  have  resided  in ; 
neither  could  (hey  have  been  vessels  capable  to  receive 
that  power,  and  again  transmit  it  to  their  successors. 
Thirdly,  It  would  follow  from  this,  that  the  priests  and 
bishops  of  the  Romish  church  are  yet  really  true  pastors 
and  teachers :  for  if  Protestant  ministers  have  no  authority 
but  what  they  received  from  them,  and  since  the  church 
of  Rome  is  the  same  she  was  at  that  time  of  the  reforma- 
tion in  doctrine  and  manners,  and  she  has  the  same  power 
now  she  had  then,  and  if  the  po  ver  lie  in  the  succession, 
then  these  priests  of  the  Romish  church  now,  which  derive 
their  ordination  from  those  bishops  that  ordained  the  first 
reformers,  have  the  same  authority  which  the  successors 
of  the  reformed  have,  and  consequently  are  no  less  minis- 
ters of  the  church  than  they  are.  But  how  will  this  agree 
with  that  opinion  which  the  primitive  Protestants  had  of 
the  Romish  priests  and  clergy,  to  whom  Luther  did  not 
only  deny  any  power  or  authority,  but  contrary-wise  affirm- 
Lutiiei  af-  fd,  That  it  was  wickedly  done  of  them,  to  assume  to  them- 
a'^vvoman^'^^  selves  only  this  authority  to  teach,  and  be  priests  and 
might  be  a  ministers,  &c.  For  he  himself  affirmed.  That  every  good 
prctcher.  Qj^jjgfjgjj  ^^qj  Qojy  men,  but  even  women  also)  is  a 
preacher. 

§  X.  But  against  this  vain  succession,  as  asserted  eithex 


OF  THE  MINISTRY. 


269 


by  the  Papists  or  Protestants  as  a  necessary  thing  to  the  The  pre- 
call  of  a  minister,  I  answer ;  That  such  as  plead  for  it,  as  cegfi^n  of" 
a  sufficient  or  necessary  thing  to  the  call  of  a  minister,  do  Papists  and 

Proteetanta 

thereby  sufficiently  declare  their  ignorance  of  the  nature  of  explained. 
Christianity,  and  how  much  they  are  strangers  to  the  Ufe 
and  power  of  a  Christian  ministry,  which  is  not  entailed  to 
succession,  as  an  outward  inheritance;  and  herein,  as  hath 
been  often  before  observed,  they  not  only  make  the  gospel 
not  better  than  the  law,  but  even  far  short  of  it.  For  Jesus 
Christ,  as  he  regardeth  not  any  distinct  particular  family  or 
nation  in  the  gathering  of  his  children  ;  but  only  such  as 
are  joined  to  and  leavened  with  his  own  pure  and  righteous 
seed,  so  neither  regards  he  a  bare  outward  succession, 
where  his  pure,  immaculate,  and  righteous  life  is  wanting; 
for  that  were  all  one.  He  took  not  the  nations  into  the  new 
covenant,  that  he  might  suffer  them  to  fall  into  the  old  errors 
of  the  Jews,  or  to  approve  them  in  their  errors,  but  that  he 
might  gather  unto  himself  a  pure  people  out  of  the  earth. 
Now  this  was  the  great  error  of  the  Jews,  to  think  they  The  Jews' 
were  the  church  and  people  of  God,  because  they  could  Abraham'g 
derive  their  outward  succession  from  Abraham  ;  whereby  outward 
they  reckoned  themselves  the  children  of  God,  as  being 
the  offspring  of  Abraham,  who  was  the  Father  of  the  Faith- 
ful. But  how  severely  doth  the  scripture  rebuke  this  vain 
and  frivolous  pretence  !  Telling  them,  That  God  is  able 
of  the  stones  to  raise  children  unto  Abraham  ;  and  that  not 
the  outward  seed,  but  those  that  were  found  in  the  faith  of 
Abraham,  are  the  true  children  of  faithful  Abraham.  Far 
less  then  can  this  pretence  hold  among  Christians,  seeing 
Christ  rejects  all  outward  affinity  of  that  kind:  These,  Mat.xii.48j 
saith  he,  are  my  mother,  brethren  and  sisters,  who  do^aJi^jjjgj 
the  will  of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven :  And  again  ; 
he  looked  round  about  him,  and  said,  Who  shall  do  the 
will  of  God,  these,  saith  he,  are  my  brethren.  So  then, 
such  as  do  not  the  commands  of  Christ,  as  are  not  found 
clothed  with  his  righteousness,  are  not  his  disciples  ;  and 
that  which  a  man  hath  not,  he  cannot  give  to  another  :  and 
h  is  clear,  that  no  man  nor  church,  though  truly  calUd  of 
23* 


270 


PROPOSITION  X. 


God,  and  as  such  having  the  authority  of  a  church  and 
minister,  can  any  longer  retain  that  authority,  than  they 
retain  the  power,  life,  and  righteousness  of  Christianity 
The  lorm    for  the  form  is  entailed  to  the  power  and  substance,  and 
i*s  e'ntailecr  '^"^  ^^^^  substance  to  the  form.  So  that  when  a  man  ceaseth 
toihe  pow-  inwardly  in  his  heart  to  be  a  Christian  fwhere  his  Chris- 

er  and  sub-    .     .  .  .  v  . 

stance,  and  tianily  must  lie)  by  turning  to  Satan,  and  becoming  a  repro- 
"tance'fo he  is  no  more  a  Christian,  though  he  retain  the  name 
the  form,    and  form,  than  a  dead  man  is  a  man,  though  he  hath  the 
image  and  representation  of  one,  or  than  the  picture  or 
statue  of  a  man  is  a  man :  and  though  a  dead  man  may 
serve  to  a  painter  to  retain  some  imperfect  representation 
of  the  man,  that  once  was  alive,  and  so  one  picture  may 
serve  to  make  another  by,  yet  none  of  those  can  serve  to 
make  a  true  living  man  again,  neither  can  they  convey  the 
life  and  spirit  of  the  man ;  it  must  be  God,  that  made  the 
Succeesion  man  at  first,  that  alone  can  revive  him.    As  death  iheq 
mterrupt-    ,jjg|.gg  g^^]^  interruption  of  an  outward  natural  succession, 
that  no  art  nor  outward  form  can  uphold,  and  as  a  deao 
man,  after  he  is  dead,  can  have  no  issue,  neither  can  dead 
images  of  men  make  living  men :  so  that  it  is  the  living 
that  are  only  capable  to  succeed  one  another ;  and  such  as 
die,  so  soon  as  they  die  cease  to  succeed,  or  to  transmit 
succession.    So  it  is  in  spiritual  things  ;  it  is  the  life  of 
Christianity,  taking  place  in  the  heart,  that  makes  a  Chris- 
The  living  tian  :  and  so  it  is  a  number  of  such,  being  alive,  joined 
make  the    together  in  the  life  of  Christianity,  that  make  a  church  of 
church :      Christ :  and  it  is  all  those  that  are  thus  alive  and  quickened, 

lite  lost,  the  '  _     *  ' 

church  u  considered  together,  that  make  the  Catholic  ::hurch  of 
Christ :  therefore  when  this  life  ceaseth  in  one,  then  that 
one  ceaseth  to  be  a  Christian  ;  and  all  power,  virtue,  Jnd 
authority,  which  he  had  as  a  Christian,  ceaseth  with  it ;  so 
that  if  he  hath  been  a  minister  or  teacher,  he  ceaseth  to  be 
so  any  more:  and  though  he  retain  the  form,  and  hold  to 
the  authority  in  words,  yet  that  signifies  no  more,  nor  is  it 
of  any  more  real  virtue  and  authority,  than  the  mere  image 
of  a  dead  man.  And  as  this  is  most  agreeable  to  reason, 
so  it  is  to  the  scripture's  testimony  ;  for  it  is  said  of  Judas, 


♦ 


OF  THE  MINISTRY. 


271 


Acts.  i.  25,  That  Judas  fell  from  his  ministry  and  apostle-  Jadua  fell 
ship  by  transgression  ;  so  his  transgression  caused  him  to  fJ^'inLtry  bj 
cease  to  be  an  apostle  any  more :  whereas,  had  the  apostle-  ^j^"*^"^**' 
ship  been  entailed  to  his  person,  so  that  transgression  could 
not  cause  him  to  lose  it,  until  he  had  been  formally  degraded 
by  the  church  (which  Judas  never  was  so  long  as  he  lived) 
Judas  had  been  as  really  an  apostle,  after  he  betrayed  Christ, 
as  before.  And  as  it  is  of  one,  so  of  many,  yea,  of  a  whole 
church :  for  seeing  nothing  makes  a  man  truly  a  Christian, 
but  the  life  of  Christianity  inwardly  ruling  in  his  heart ;  so 
nothing  makes  a  church,  but  the  gathering  of  several  true 
Christians  into  one  body.    Now  where  all  these  members 
lose  this  life,  there  the  church  ceaseth  to  be,  though  they 
still  uphold  the  form,  and  retain  the  name :  for  when  that 
which  made  them  a  church,  and  for  which  they  were  a 
church,  ceaseth,  then  they  cease  also  to  be  a  church :  and 
therefore  the  Spirit,  speaking  to  the  church  of  Laodicea, 
because  of  her  lukewarmness,  Rev.  iii.  16,  threateneth  to 
spue  her  out  of  his  mouth.     Now,  suppose  the  church  The  luke 
of  Laodicea  had  continued  in  that  lukewarmness,  and  had  warmneM 

'  ot  the 

come  under  that  condemnation  and  judgment,  though  she  cliurch  of 
had  retained  the  name  and  form  of  a  church,  and  had  had 
her  pastors  and  ministers,  as  no  doubt  she  had  at  that  time, 
yet  surely  she  had  been  no  true  church  of  Christ,  nor  had 
the  authority  of  her  pastors  and  teachers  been  to  be  re- 
garded, because  of  an  outward  succession,  though  perhaps 
some  of  them  had  it  immediately  from  the  apostles.  From 
all  which  I  infer.  That  since  the  authority  of  the  Christian 
church  and  her  pastors  is  always  united,  and  never  sepa- 
rated from  the  inward  power,  virtue,  and  righteous  life  of 
Christianity;  where  this  ceaseth,  that  ceaseth  also.  But  our 
adversaries  acknowledge,  That  many,  if  not  most  of  those, 
by  and  through  whom  they  derive  this  authority,  were  alto- 
gether destitute  of  this  life  and  virtue  of  Christianity  :  there- 
fore they  could  neither  receive,  have,  nor  transmit  any 
Christian  authority. 

But  if  it  be  objected.  That  though  the  generality  of  the  Object 
bishops  an  J  priests  of  the  church  of  Rome,  during  the 


2T2 


PROPOSITION  X. 


Answ. 


The  Pro- 
testants 
plead  for  a 
succession 
inherent. 


An  estate 
void  of 
heirship  de- 
volves to 
the  prince, 
none  claims 
it,  but  he  to 
whom  he 
sees  meet 
o  give  it : 
BO  the  heir- 
ship of  life 
is  enjoyed 
from  Christ 
the  true 
heir. 


apostasy,  were  such  wicked  men  ;  yet  Protestants  affirm, 
and  thou  thyself  seetnest  to  acknowledge,  that  there  were 
some  good  men  among  them,  whom  the  Lord  regarded, 
and  who  were  true  members  of  the  Catholic  church  of 
Christ  ;  might  not  they  then  have  transmitted  this  au- 
thority .'' 

I  answer ;  This  saith  nothing,  in  respect  Protestants  do 
not  at  all  lay  claim  to  their  ministry  as  transmitted  to  them 
by  a  direct  line  of  good  men  ;  which  they  can  never  show, 
nor  yet  pretend  to ;  but  generally  place  this  succession  as 
inherent  in  the  whole  pastors  of  the  apostate  church. 
Neither  do  they  plead  their  call  to  be  good  and  valid, 
because  they  can  derive  it  through  a  line  of  good  men, 
separate  and  observably  distinguishable  from  the  rest  of 
the  bishops  and  clergy  of  the  Romish  church  ;  but  they 
derive  it  as  an  authority  residing  in  the  whole :  for  they 
think  it  heresy,  to  judge  that  the  quality  or  condition  of 
the  administrator  doth  any  ways  invalidate  or  prejudice 
his  work. 

This  vain  and  pretended  succession  not  only  militates 
against,  and  fights  with  the  very  manifest  purpose  and  in- 
tent of  Christ  in  the  gathering  and  calling  of  his  church, 
but  makes  him  (so  to  speak)  more  blind  and  less  prudent 
than  natural  men  are  in  conveying  and  establishing  their 
outward  inheritances.  For  where  an  estate  is  entailed  to 
a  certain  name  and  family,  when  that  family  weareth  out, 
and  there  is  no  lawful  successor  found  of  it,  that  can  make 
a  just  title  appear,  as  being  really  of  blood  and  affinity  to 
the  family:  it  is  not  lawful  for  any  one  of  another  race  or 
blood,  because  he  assumes  the  name  or  arms  of  that  family, 
to  possess  the  estate,  and  claim  the  superiorities  and 
privileges  of  the  family ;  but  by  the  law  of  nations  the  in- 
heritance devolves  into  the  prince,  as  being  Ultimus  Hares ; 
and  so  he  giveth  it  again  immediately  to  whom  he  sees 
meet,  and  makes  them  bear  the  name  and  arms  of  the 
family,  who  then  are  entitled  to  the  privileges  and  revenues 
thereof.  So  in  like  manner,  the  true  name  and  title  of  a 
Christian,  by  which  he  hath  right  to  the  heavenly  in- 


OF  THE  MINISTRY. 


273 


heritance,  and  is  a  member  of  Jesus  Christ,  is  inward 
righteousness  and  holiness,  and  the  mind  redeemed  from 
the  vanities,  lusts,  and  iniquities  of  this  woild  ;  and  a 
gathering  or  company,  made  up  of  such  members,  makes 
a  church.  Where  this  is  lost,  the  title  is  lost ;  and  so  the 
true  seed,  to  which  the  promise  is,  and  to  which  the  in- 
heritance is  due,  becomes  extinguished  in  them,  and  they 
become  dead  as  to  it;  and  so  it  retires,  and  devolves  itself 
again  into  Christ,  who  is  the  righteous  heir  of  life  ;  and  he 
gives  the  title  and  true  right  again  immediately  to  whom  it 
pleaseth  him,  even  to  as  many  as  being  turned  to  his  pure 
light  in  their  consciences,  come  again  to  walk  in  his  right- 
eous and  innocent  life,  and  so  become  true  members  of  his 
body,  which  is  the  church.  So  the  authority,  power  and 
heirship  are  not  annexed  to  persons,  as  they  bear  the  mere 
names,  or  retain  a  form,  holding  the  mere  shell  or  shadow 
of  Christianity ;  but  the  promise  is  to  Christ,  and  to  the 
seed,  in  whom  the  authority  is  inherent,  and  in  as  many  as 
are  one  with  him,  and  united  unto  him  by  purity  and  holi- 
ness, and  by  the  inward  renovation  and  regeneration  of 
their  minds. 

Moreover,  this  pretended  succession  is  contrary  to  scrip- 
ture definitions,  and  the  nature  of  the  church  of  Ciirist, 
and  of  the  true  members.    For,  first.  The  church  is  the 
house  of  God,  the  pillar  and  ground  of  truth,  1  Tim.  iii.  j 
15.    But  according  to  this  doctrine,  the  house  of  God  is  The  hoase 
a  polluted  nest  of  all  sort  of  wickedness  and  abominations,  nL^ofluted 

made  up  of  the  most  uoly,  defiled,  and  perverse  stones  "•^st ;  no 
L  -1  1        T         I      1     -1      1      •      11  atheist  no* 

that  are  hi  the  earth  ;  where  the  devu  rules  m  all  manner  pretender 

of  unrighteousness.    For  so  our  adversaries  confess,  and  J^here"' 

history  informs,  the  church  of  Rome  to  have  been,  as  some 

of  their  historians  acknowledge ;  and  if  that  be  truly  the 

house  of  God,  what  may  we  call  the  house  of  Satan  Or 

may  we  call  it  therefore  the  house  of  God,  notwithstanding 

all  this  impiety,  because  they  had  a  bare  form,  and  (hat 

vitiated  many  ways  also  ;  and  because  they  pretended  to 

the  name  of  Christianity,  though  they  were  antiehristian, 

devilish,  and  atheistical  in  their  whole  practice  and  spirit, 

2k 


274 


PROPO.;iTION  X. 


II. 

Christ  is 
the  head, 
his  body 
ondefited. 


and  also  in  many  of  their  principles?  Would  not  this  infei 
yet  a  greater  absurdity,  as  if  they  had  been  something  to 
be  accounted  of,  because  of  their  hypocrisy  and  deceit, 
and  false  pretences  ?  Whereas  the  scripture  looks  upon 
that  as  an  aggravation  of  guilt,  and  calls  it  blasphemy, 
Rev.  ii.  9.  Of  two  wicked  men,  he  is  most  to  be  abhoi 
red,  who  covereth  his  wickedness  with  a  vain  pretence  of 
God  and  righteousness ;  even  so  these  abominable  beasts, 
and  fearful  monsters,  who  looked  upon  themselves  to  be 
bishops  in  the  apostate  church,  were  never  a  whit  the 
better,  that  they  falsely  pretended  to  be  the  successors  of 
the  holy  apostles ;  unless  to  lie  be  commendable,  and  that 
hypocrisy  be  the  way  to  heaven.  Yea,  were  not  this  to 
fall  into  that  evil  condemned  among  the  Jews,  Jer.  vii.  4 : 
"Trust  ye  not  in  lying  words,  saying,  The  temple  of  the 
Lord,  the  temple  of  the  Lord,  the  temple  of  the  Lord  ar6 
these;  thoroughly  amend  your  ways,"  &c.,  as  if  such  out- 
ward names  and  things  were  the  thing  the  Lord  regarded, 
and  not  inward  holiness.''  Or  can  that  then  be  the  pilla: 
and  ground  of  truth,  which  is  the  very  sink  and  pit  of 
wickedness,  from  which  so  much  error,  superstition,  idola 
try,  and  all  abomination  spring.'  Can  there  be  ai.y  thing 
more  contrary  both  to  scripture  and  reason  ? 

Secondly,  The  church  is  defined  to  be  the  kingdom  of 
the  dear  Son  of  God,  into  which  the  saints  are  translated, 
being  delivered  from  the  power  of  darkness.  It  is  called 
the  body  of  Christ,  which  from  him  by  joints  and  bands 
having  nourishment  ministered  and  knit  together,  in- 
creaseth  with  the  increase  of  God,  Col.  ii.  19.  But  can 
such  members,  such  a  gathering  as  we  have  demonstrated 
that  church  and  members  to  be,  among  whom  they  allege 
their  pretended  authority  to  have  been  preserved,  and 
through  which  they  derive  their  call ;  can  such,  I  say,  be 
the  body  of  Christ,  or  members  thereof.'  Or  is  Christ  the 
head  of  such  a  corrupt,  dead,  dark,  abominable  stinking 
carcase .'  If  so,  then  might  we  not  as  well  affirm  against 
the  apostle,  2  Cor.  vi.  14:  "  That  righteousness  hath  fel- 
with Belial?  lowship  with  unrighteousness,  that  light  hath  comrnunioD 


What  fel- 

lowsliip  • 
mill  ("hrist 


OF  THE  MINISTRY. 


270 


with  darkness,  that  Christ  hath  concord  with  Btlial,  that  a 
believer  hath  part  with  an  infidel,  and  that  the  temple  of 
rJod  hath  agreement  with  idols  ?"  Moreover  no  man  is 
called  the  temple  of  God,  nor  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  but  as 
his  vessel  is  purified,  and  so  he  fitted  and  prepared  for 
God  to  dwell  in  ;  and  many  thus  fitted  by  Christ  become 
his  body,  in  and  among  whom  he  dwells  and  walks,  ac- 
cording as  it  is  written,  "  I  will  dwell  in  them,  and  walk 
in  them,  and  I  will  be  their  God,  and  they  shall  be  my 
people."  It  is  therefore  that  we  may  become  the  temple 
of  Christ,  and  people  of  God,  that  the  apostle  in  the  fol- 
lowing verse  exhorts,  saying  out  of  the  prophet,  "  Where-  2  Cor.  vi 
fore  come  out  from  among  them,  and  be  ye  separate,  saith 
the  Lord,  and  touch  not  the  unclean  thing,  and  I  will  re- 
ceive you  ;  and  I  will  be  a  father  unto  you,  and  ye  shall 
be  my  sons  and  daughters,  saith  the  Lord  Almighty."  But 
to  what  purpose  is  all  this  exhortation And  why  should 
we  separate  from  the  unclean,  if  a  mere  outward  profes- 
sion and  name  be  enough  to  make  the  true  church ;  and  if 
the  unclean  and  polluted  were  both  the  church  and  lawful 
successors  of  the  apostles,  inheriting  their  authority,  and 
transmitting  it  to  others  ?  Yea,  how  can  the  church  be  the 
kingdom  of  the  Son  of  God,  as  contra-distinguished  from 
the  kingdom  and  power  of  darkness.''  And  what  need, 
yea,  what  possibility,  of  being  translated  out  of  the  one 
into  the  other,  if  those  that  make  up  the  kingdom  and 
power  of  darkness  be  real  members  of  the  true  church  of 
Christ,  and  not  simply  members  only,  but  the  very  pastors 
and  teachers  of  it .''  But  how  do  they  increase  in  the  in- 
crease of  God,  and  receive  spiritual  nourishment  from 
Christ  the  head,  that  are  enemies  of  him  in  their  hearts  by 
wicked  works,  and  openly  go  into  perdition  Verily  as 
no  metaphysical  and  nice  distinctions,  that  though  they  fjious^jf^! 
were  practically  as  to  their  own  private  states  enemies  to ''"'^''9" 

Gilt? Ill  16S  {.( 

God  and  Christ,  and  so  servants  of  Satan  ;  yet  they  were,  God  by 
by  virtue  of  their  oflice,  members  and  ministers  of  the  a[,d'^meh,. 
church,  and  so  able  to  transmit  the  succession  ;  I  sav,  as  I'ersof'his 

,    .  ,        1  r  •     1  1-    •       •  -11  1  church  by 

Huch  invented  auvl  frivolous  distinctions  will  not  please  the  ofilce. 


276  PROPOSITION  X. 

Lord  God,  neither  will  he  be  deluaed  such,  nor  laakf 
up  the  glorious  body  of  his  church  with  such  mere  outside 
hypocritical  shows,  nor  be  beholden  to  such  painted  se 
pulchres  to  be  members  of  his  body,  which  is  sound,  pure 
and  undefiled,  and  therefore  he  needs  not  such  false  and 
corrupt  members  to  make  up  the  defects  of  it ;  so  neither 
will  such  distinctions  satisfy  truly  tender  and  Christian 
consciences ;  especially  considering  the  apostle  is  so  far 
from  desiring  us  to  regard  this,  that  we  are  expressly  com- 
manded to  turn  away  from  such  as  have  a  form  of  godli- 
ness, but  deny  the  power  of  it.  For  we  may  well  object 
against  these,  as  the  poor  man  did  against  the  proud  pre- 
late, that  went  about  to  cover  his  vain  and  unchristian-like 
sumptuousness,  by  distinguishing  that  it  was  not  as  bishop 
Theuiiswer  but  as  prince  he  had  all  that  splendor.  To  which  the  poor 

of  a  poor  rustic  wisely  is  said  to  have  answered,  When  the  prince 
rustic  lo  a  J  j  r 

j)roud  pre-  goeth  to  hell,  what  shall  become  of  the  prelate  ?  And 
indeed  this  were  to  suppose  the  body  of  Christ  to  be  de- 
fective, and  that  to  fill  up  these  defective  places,  he  puts 
counterfeit  and  dead  stuff  instead  of  real  living  members ; 
like  such  as  lose  their  eyes,  arms,  or  legs,  who  make  coun- 
terfeit ones  of  wood  or  glass  instead  of  them.  But  we 
cannot  think  so  of  Christ,  neither  can  we  believe,  for  the 
reasons  above  adduced,  that  either  we  are  to  account,  or 
that  Christ  doth  account,  any  man  or  men  a  whit  the  more 
members  of  his  body,  because  though  they  be  really 
wicked,  they  hypocritically  and  deceitfully  clothe  them- 
selves with  his  name,  and  pretend  to  it;  for  this  is  con- 
trary to  his  own  doctrine,  where  he  saith  expressly,  John 
XV.  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  &c.,  That  he  is  the  vine,  and  his 
disciples  are  the  branches ;  that  except  they  abide  in  him, 
they  cannot  bear  fruit;  and  if  they  be  unfruitful,  they  shall 
A  withered  be  Cast  forth  as  a  branch,  and  wither.  Now  I  suppose 
draw  no^'"'  lh»"se  cut  and  withered  branches  are  no  more  true  branches 

nourish-  ^^^y  members  of  the  vine  ;  they  can  no  more  draw  sap  nor 
ment,  so  ,  . 

hatb  no  life  nourishment  from  it,  after  that  they  are  cut  off,  and  so 
DorvirtuR.  j^^y^      more  virtue,  sap,  nor  life:  What  have  they  then 
to  boast  or  glory  of  any  authority,  seeing  they  wani  that 


OF  THE  MINISTRY. 


277 


life,  virti  e,  and  nourishment  from  which  all  authorit)' 
comes?  So  such  members  of  Christ  as  are  become  dead 
to  him  through  Lnrighteousness,  and  so  derive  no  more 
virtue  nor  life  from  him,  are  cut  off  by  their  sins,  and 
wither,  and  have  no  longer  any  true  or  real  authority,  and 
their  boasting  of  any  is  but  an  aggravation  of  their  iniquity 
b}  hypocrisy  and  deceit.  But  further,  would  not  this 
make  Christ's  body  a  mere  shadow  and  phantasm  }  Yea, 
would  it  not  make  him  the  head  of  a  lifeless,  rotten,  stink- 
ing carcase,  having  only  some  little  outward  false  show, 
while  inwardly  full  of  rottenness  and  dirt.''  And  what  a  A  living 
monster  would  these  men  make  of  Christ's  body  by  assign-  al^feless" 
ing  it  a  real,  pure,  living,  quick  head,  full  of  virtue  and  ^"^^^^^^^ 
life,  and  yet  tied  to  such  a  dead  lifeless  body  as  we  have  would  that 
already  described  these  members  to  be,  which  they  allege  ' 
to  have  been  the  church  of  Christ  ?  Again,  the  members 
of  the  church  of  Christ  are  specified  by  this  definition,  to 
wit,  as  being  the  sanctified  in  Christ  Jesus,  1  Cor.  i.  2. 
But  this  notion  of  succession  supposeth  not  only  some  un- 
sanctified  members  to  be  of  the  church  of  Christ,  but  even 
the  whole  to  consist  of  unsanctified  members  ;  yea,  that 
such  as  were  professed  necromancers  and  open  servants 
of  Satan  were  the  true  successors  of  the  apostles,  and  in 
whom  the  apostolic  authority  resided,  these  being  the  ves- 
sels through  whom  this  succession  is  transmitted ;  though 
many  of  them,  as  all  Protestants  and  also  some  Papists 
confess,  attained  these  offices  in  the,  so  called,  church  not 
only  by  such  means  as  Simon  Magus  sought  it,  but  by 
much  worse,  even  by  witchcraft,  traditions,  money, 
treachery,  and  murder,  which  Platina  himself  confesseth* 
of  divers  bishops  of  Rome. 

§  XI.  But  such  as  object  not  this  succession  of  the 
church,  which  yet  most  Protestants  begin  now  to  do,  dis- 
tinguish in  this  matter,  affirming,  that  in  a  great  apostasy, 
such  as  was  that  o'"the  church  of  Rome,  God  may  raise  up 

•  In  the  Life  of  Benedict  IV.,  of  John  XVI.,  of  Sylvester  lit.,  of  Boni- 
face VIII,  of  Steph.  VI.,  of  Joan  VIII.  Also  Onuphrius's  Annotation! 
npon  this  Papess,  or  Popess,  towards  the  end. 

24 


278 


PROPOSITION  X. 


some  singularly  by  his  Spirit,  who  from  the  testimony  of 
the  scriptures  perceiving  the  errors  into  which  such  as  bear 
the  name  of  Christians  are  fallen,  may  instruct  and  teach 
them,  and  then  become  authorized  by  the  people's  joining 
with  and  accepting  of  their  ministry  only.  Most  of  them 
also  will  affirm,  That  the  Spirit  herein  is  subjective,  and 
not  objective. 

Object.  But  they  say.  That  where  a  church  is  reformed,  such  as 
they  pretend  the  Protestant  churches  are,  there  an  ordinary 
orderly  call  is  necessary  ;  and  that  of  the  Spirit,  as  extra- 
ordinary, is  not  to  be  sought  after :  alleging,  that  res  aliter 
se  habet  in  ecclesid  consfdtuendd,  quam  in  ecclesid  constitutd ; 
that  is.  There  is  a  difference  in  the  constituting  of  a  church, 
and  after  it  is  constituted. 
A  NSW.  I  answer.  This  objection  as  to  us  saith  nothing,  seeing 

we  accuse,  and  are  ready  from  the  scriptures  to  prove  the 
A  differ-  Protestants  guilty  of  gross  errors,  and  needing  reformation, 
cd'^be'tweeii  3S  they  did  and  do  the  Papists ;  and  therefore  we 

a*church"'^  may  justly  lay  claim,  if  we  would,  to  the  same  extraordi- 
andoneas  nary  call,  having  the  same  reason  for  it,  and  as  good 
constituted  gyjjg,^(.g  prove  ours  as  they  had  for  theirs.  As  for  that 
maxim,  viz.  :  That  the  case  is  different  in  constituting  a 
church,  and  a  church  constituted,  I  do  not  deny  it;  and 
therefore  there  may  be  a  greater  measure  of  power  required 
to  the  one  than  to  the  other,  and  God  in  his  wisdom  dis- 
tributes the  same  as  he  sees  meet;  but  that  the  same 
immediate  assistance  of  the  Spirit  is  not  necessary  for 
ministers  in  a  gathered  church  as  well  as  in  gathering  one, 
I  see  no  solid  reason  alleged  for  it ;  for  surely  Christ's 
promise  was  to  be  with  his  children  to  the  end  of  the 
world,  and  they  need  him  no  less  to  preserve  and  guide 
his  church  and  children  than  to  gather  and  beget  them. 
Nature  taught  the  Gentiles  this  maxim,  JVon  minor  est  vir- 
tus, quam  qucerere,  parta  taeri,  '  To  defend  what  we  attain, 
requires  no  less  strength  than  what  is  necessary  to  acquire 
it.'  For  it  is  by  this  inward  and  immediate  operation  of 
the  Spirit,  which  Christ  hath  promised  to  lead  his  children 
with  into  all  truth,  and  to  teach  them  all  things,  thai 


OF  THE  MINISTRY. 


27S 


Christians  are  to  be  led  in  all  steps,  all  well  last  as  first, 

which  relate  to  God's  glory  and  their  own  salvation,  as 

we  have  heretofore  sufficiently  proved,  and  therefore  need 

not  now  repeat  it.    And  truly  this  device  of  Satan,  where-  It  is  a  de 

by  he  has  got  people  to  put  the  immediate  guidings  and  t^an'^for  men 

lea  lings  of  God's  Spirit  as  art  extraordinary  thiner  afar  off.  'opv', 'he 

^     .  '  .  ./         b  )  Spirit's 

vfnich  their  forefathers  had,  but  which  they  now  are  neither  leadings  fat 

to  wait  for  nor  expect,  is  a  great  cause  of  the  growing  mer°inies. 

apostasy  upon  the  many  gathered  churches,  and  is  one 

great  reason  why  a  dry,  dead,  barren,  lifeless,  spiritless 

ministry,  which  leavens  the  people  into  the  same  death, 

doth  so  much  abound,  and  is  so  much  overspreading  even 

the  Protestant  nations,  that  their  preaching  and  worships, 

as  well  as  their  whole  conversation,  is  not  to  be  discerned 

tVom  Popish  by  any  fresh  living  zeal,  or  lively  power  of 

the  Spirit  accompanying  it,  but  merely  by  the  difference  of 

some  notions  and  opinions. 

§  XII.  Some  unwise  and  unwary  Protestants  do  some-  Object. 
times  object  to  us,  That  if  we  have  such  an  immediate 
call  as  we  lay  claim  to,  we  ought  to  confirm  it  by  mi- 
racles. 

But  this  being  an  objection  once  and  again  urged  against  Answ. 

the  primitive  Protestants  by  the  Papists,  we  need  but  in 

short  return  the  answer  to  it  that  they  did  to  the  Papists, 

to  wit,  That  we  need  not  miracles,  because  we  preach  no  Whether 

new  gospel,  but  that  which  is  already  confirmed  by  all  the  "owngces! 

miracles  of  Christ  an3  his  apostles;   and  that  we  offer  ^^ryo c""' 
...         ,         ...  ,  „       firni  the 

nothing  but  that  which  we  are  ready  and  able  to  conlirm  gospel? 
by  the  testimony  of  the  scriptures,  which  both  already 
acknowledge  to  be  true :  and  that  John  the  Baptist  and  John  Bap- 
divers  of  the  prophets  did  none  that  we  hear  of,  and  yet  vere'^pro^'* 
were  both  immediately  and  extraordinarily  sent.    This  is  phets  did 
»i  r»  1     '  /•  •  none, 

the  common  Protestant  answer,  therefore  may  surhce  in 

this  place ;  though,  if  need  were,  I  could  say  more  to  this 
purpose,  but  that  I  study  brevity. 

§  XIII.  There  is  also  another  sort  of  Protestants,  to  wit, 
the  English  Independents,  who  differing  from  the  Calvin- 
islical  Presbyterians,  and  denying  the  necessity  of  this  sue- 


280 


PROPOSITION  X. 


The  c-onsti' 
tution  of 
the  inde- 
pendent 
church. 


Gifted  bre- 
thren. 


Their  loss 
and  decay. 


The  scrip- 
tures give 
no  call  to 
persons  L  i- 
dividual. 


cession,  or  the  authority  of  any  national  church,  take  anotke) 
way  ;  affirming,  That  such  as  have  the  benefit  of  the  scrip- 
tures, any  company  of  people  agreeing  in  the  principles  of 
truth  as  they  find  them  there  declared,  may  constitute  among 
themselves  a  church,  without  the  authority  of  any  other, 
and  may  choose  to  themselves  a  pastor,  who  by  the  church 
thus  constituted  and  consenting,  is  authorized,  requiring 
only  the  assistance  and  concurrence  of  the  pastors  of  the 
neighbouring  churches,  if  any  such  there  be  ;  not  so  much 
as  absolutely  necessary  to  authorize,  as  decent  for  order's 
sake.  Also  they  go  so  far  as  to  affirm,  That  in  a  church  so 
c»>nstituted,  any  gifted  brother,  as  they  call  them,  if  he  find 
himself  qualified  thereto,  may  instruct,  exhort,  and  preach 
in  the  church ;  though,  as  not  having  the  pastoral  office, 
he  cannot  administer  those  which  they  call  their  sacra- 
ments. 

To  tliis  I  answer,  That  this  was  a  good  step  out  of  the 
Babylonish  darkness,  and  no  doubt  did  proceed  from  a 
real  discovery  of  the  truth,  and  from  the  sense  of  a  great 
abuse  of  the  promiscuous  national  gatherings.  Also  this 
preaching  of  the  gifted  brethren,  as  they  called  them,  did 
proceed  at  first  from  certain  lively  touches  and  movings 
of  the  Spirit  of  God  upon  many  ;  but  alas !  because  they 
went  not  forward,  that  is  much  decayed  among  them  ;  and 
the  motions  of  God's  Spirit  begin  to  be  denied  and  reject- 
ed among  them  now,  as  much  as  by  others. 

But  as  to  their  pretended  call  from  the  scripture,  I  an- 
swer. The  scripture  gives  a  mere  declaration  of  true  things, 
but  no  call  to  particular  persons  ;  so  that  though  I  believe 
the  things  there  written  to  be  true,  and  deny  the  errors 
which  I  find  there  testified  against,  yet  as  to  those  things 
which  may  be  my  particular  duty,  I  am  still  to  seek ;  and 
therefore  I  can  never  be  resolved  in  the  scripture  whether 
I  (such  a  one  by  name)  ought  to  be  a  minister.'  And  fo; 
the  resolving  this  doubt  I  must  needs  recur  to  the  inward 
and  immediate  testimony  of  the  Spirit,  as  in  the  proposition 
concerning  the  scriptures  is  shown  more  at  large. 

§  XIV.  F       all  this  then  we  do  firmly  conclude,  that 


OF  THE  MINISTRY. 


not  only  in  a  general  apostasy  it  is  needful  men  be  extra- 
ordinarily called,  and  raised  up  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  but 
that  even  when  several  assemblies  or  churches  are  gathered 
by  the  power  of  God,  not  only  into  the  belief  of  the  prin- 
ciples of  truth,  so  as  to  deny  errors  and  heresies,  but  also 
into  the  life,  spirit,  and  power  of  Christianity,  so  as  to  be 
the  body  and  house  of  Christ  indeed,  and  a  fit  spouse  for 
him,  that  he  who  gathers  them  doth  also,  for  the  preserving 
them  in  a  lively,  fresh,  and  powerful  condition,  raise  up  True  min- 
and  move  among  them  by  the  inward  immediate  operation  jfficadon"* 
of  his  own  Spirit,  ministers  and  teachers,  to  instruct  and  caH,  and 
teach,  and  watch  over  them,  who  being  thus  called,  are 
manifest  in  the  hearts  of  their  brethren,  and  their  call  is 
thus  verified  in  them,  who  by  the  feeling  of  that  life  and 
power  that  passeth  through  them,  being  inwardly  builded 
up  by  them  daily  in  the  most  holy  faith,  become  the  seals 
of  their  apostleship.  And  this  is  answerable  to  another 
saying  of  the  same  apostle  Paul,  2  Cor.  xiii.  3 :  "  Since 
ye  seek  a  proof  of  Christ's  speaking  in  me,  which  to  you- 
wards  is  not  weak,  but  is  mighty  in  you."  So  this  is  that  Their  lay- 
which  gives  a  true  substantial  call  and  title  to  a  minister,  h"a^dg  ^ 

whereby  he  is  a  real  successor  of  the  virtue,  life,  and  power  "tock  to 
1  -1  1  1  ,-1,  .       ^od  and 

that  was  m  the  apostles,  and  not  oi  the  bare  name :  and  to  man;  a 

such  ministers  we  think  the  outward  ceremony  of  ordina-  ghadovv 

tion  or  laying  on  of  hands  not  necessary,  neither  can  we  whilst  the 

,  r^.  .  ,  .        ,  .       ,  substance 

see  the  use  oi  it,  seemg  our  adversaries  who  use  it  acknow-  is  wanting, 
ledge  that  the  virtue  and  power  of  communicating  the  Holy 
Ghost  by  it  is  ceased  among  them.  And  is  it  not  then 
foolish  and  ridiculous  for  them,  by  an  apish  imitation,  to 
keep  up  the  shadow,  where  the  substance  is  wanting  ?  And 
may  not  they  by  the  same  rule,  where  they  see  blind  and 
lame  men,  in  imitation  of  Christ  and  his  apostles,  bid  them 
see  and  walk .''  Yea,  is  it  not  in  them  a  mocking  of  God 
and  men,  to  put  on  their  hands,  and  bid  men  receive  the 
Holy  Ghost,  while  they  believe  the  thing  impossible,  and 
confess  that  that  ceremony  hath  no  real  effect  ?  Having 
thus  far  spoken  of  the  call,  I  shall  proceed  next  to  treat  of 
the  qualifications  and  work  of  a  true  minister. 
24*  2l 


282 


PROPOSITION  X. 


QuES.  2. 
The  quali- 
fication of 
a  minitster. 


Philoso- 
phy and 
school  divi- 
nity will 
never  make 
a  gospel 
minister. 


A  poor 
laic  in- 
Btructed 
the  learned 
Taulerus. 


Proof  I. 


(iod's 
Brace  alone 
dotn  consti- 
tute a  true 
and  lawful 
teacher. 


§  XV.  As  I  have  placed  the  true  call  of  a  minister  in 
the  motion  of  this  Holy  Spirit,  so  is  the  power,  life,  and 
virtue  thereof,  and  the  pure  grace  of  God  that  comes  there- 
from, the  chief  and  most  necessary  qualification,  without 
which  he  can  no  ways  perform  his  duty,  neither  acceptably 
to  God  nor  beneficially  to  men.  Our  adversaries  in  this 
case  affirin,  that  three  things  go  to  the  making  up  of  a  mi 
nister,  viz.  1.  Natural  parts,  that  he  be  not  a  fool.  2.  Ac- 
quired parts,  that  he  be  learned  in  the  languages,  in  philo- 
sophy and  school  divinity.    3.  The  grace  of  God. 

The  two  first  they  reckon  necessary  to  the  being  of  a 
minister,  so  as  a  man  cannot  be  one  without  them  ;  the 
third  they  say  goeth  to  the  well-being  of  one,  but  not  to 
the  being;  so  that  a  man  may  truly  be  a  lawful  minister 
without  it,  and  ought  to  be  heard  and  received  as  such. 
But  we,  supposing  a  natural  capacity,  that  one  be  not  an 
idiot,  judge  the  grace  of  God  indispensably  necessary  to 
the  very  being  of  a  minister,  as  that  without  which  any  can 
neither  be  a  true,  nor  lawful,  nor  good  minister.  As  for 
letter-learning,  we  judge  it  not  so  much  necessary  to  the 
well-being  of  one,  though  accidentally  sometimes  in  certain 
respects  it  may  concur,  but  more  frequently  it  is  hurtful  than 
helpful,  as  appeared  in  the  example  of  Taulerus,  who  being 
a  learned  man,  and  who  could  make  an  eloquent  preaching, 
needed  nevertheless  to  be  instructed  in  the  way  of  the  Lord 
by  a  poor  laic.  I  shall  first  speak  of  the  necessity  of  grace, 
and  then  proceed  to  say  something  of  that  literature  which 
they  judge  so  needful. 

First  then,  as  we  said  in  the  call,  so  may  we  much  more 
here,  if  the  grace  of  God  be  a  necessary  qua-lification  to 
make  one  a  true  Christian,  it  must  be  a  qualification  niuch 
more  necessary  to  constitute  a  true  minister  of  Christianity. 
That  grace  is  necessary  to  make  one  a  true  Christian  I 
think  will  not  be  questioned,  since  it  is  "by  grace  we  are 
saved,"  Eph.  ii.  8.  It  is  the  grace  of  God  that  teacheth 
us  to  deny  ungodliness,  and  the  lusts  of  this  world,  and  to 
live  godly  and  righteously,  Tit.  ii.  11.  Yea,  Christ  saith 
expressly,  That  without  him  we  can  do  nothing,  John 


OF  THE  MINISTRY. 


2b3 


XV.  5;  and  the  way  whereby  Christ  helpeth,  assisteth,  and 
workoth  with  us  is  by  his  grace :  hence  he  saitii  to  Paul, 
»<  My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee."  A  Christian  without 
grace  is  indeed  no  Christian,  but  an  hypocrite,  and  a  false 
pretender.  Then  I  say,  If  grace  be  necessary  to  a  private 
(/hiistian,  far  more  to  a  teacher  among  Christians,  who  must 
be  as  a  father  and  instructor  of  others,  seeing  this  dignity 
is  bestowed  upon  such  as  have  attained  a  greater  measure 
than  their  brethren.  Even  nature  itself  may  teach  us  that 
there  is  more  required  in  a  teacher  than  in  those  that  are 
taught,  and  that  the  master  must  be  above  and  before  the 
scholar  in  that  art  or  science  which  he  teacheth  others. 
Since  then  Christianity  cannot  be  truly  enjoyed,  neither 
any  man  denominated  a  Christian  without  the  true  grace 
of  God,  therefore  neither  can  any  man  be  a  true  and  lawful  Proof  II 
teacher  of  Christianity  without  it.  wlu)  first 

Secondly,  No  man  can  be  a  minister  of  the  church  of  must  be  a 

•;  '    .      _  member  oi 

Christ,  which  is  his  body,  unless  he  be  a  member  of  the  the  body, 
body,  and  receive  of  the  virtue  and  life  of  the  head.  fife  i's're- 

But  he  that  hath  not  true  grace,  can  neither  be  a  mem-  ceived,  an^ 

°        '  virtue  from 

her  of  the  body,  neither  receive  of  that  life  and  nourish-  the  head. 

ment  which  comes  from  the  head  : 

Therefore  far  less  can  he  be  a  minister  to  edify  the 

body. 

That  he  cannot  be  a  minister  who  is  not  a  member  is 
evident ;  because  he  who  is  not  a  member  is  shut  out  and 
cut  ofT,  and  hath  no  place  in  the  body  ;  whereas,  the  minis- 
ters are  counted  among  the  most  eminent  members  of  the 
body.  But  no  man  can  be  a  member  unless  he  receive  of 
Ihe  virtue,  life,  and  nourishment  of  the  head  ;  for  the  mem- 
bers that  receive  not  this  life  and  nourishment  decay  and 
wither,  and  then  are  cut  ofl'.  And  that  every  true  member 
doth  thus  receive  nourishment  and  life  from  the  head,  the 
apostle  expressly  affirmeth,  Eph.  iv.  16:  "From  whom 
the  whole  body  being  fitly  joined  together,  and  compacted 
by  that  which  every  joint  supplieth,  according  to  the  effec- 
tual working  in  the  measure  of  every  part,  maketh  increase 
of  the  body  unto  the  edifying  of  itself  in  love."    Now  this 


284 


PROPOSITION  X. 


thai  til  us  is  communicated,  and  which  thus  uniteth  thp 
whole,  is  no  other  than  the  grace  of  God  ;  and  therefore 
the  apostle  in  the  same  chapter,  ver.  7,  saith,  "  But  unto 
every  one  of  us  is  given  grace  according  to  the  measure  of 
the  gift  of  Christ;"  and  ver.  11,  he  showeth  how  that  b}' 
this  grace  and  gift  both  apostles,  proj)hets,  evangelists, 
p  astors,  and  teachers  are  given  for  the  work  of  the  ministry, 
and  edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ.  And  certainly  then 
no  man  destitute  of  grace  is  fit  for  this  work,  seeing  that 
all  that  Christ  gives  are  so  qualified ;  and  these  that  are  not 
so  qualified,  are  not  given  nor  sent  of  Christ,  are  not  to  be 
heard,  nor  received,  nor  acknowledged  as  ministers  of  the 
Tho sheep  gospel,  because  his  sheep  neither  ought  nor  will  hear  the 
neither**  voice  of  a  Stranger.  This  is  also  clear  from  1  Cor.  xii. 
""ifl^h  """^  throughout ;  for  the  apostle  in  that  chapter,  treating  of  the 
the  stran-  diversity  of  gifts  and  members  of  the  body,  showeth  how 
gerevoice.  jj^^  workings  of  the  same  Spirit  in  different  manifesta- 
tions or  measures  in  the  several  members  of  the  body  the 
whole  body  is  edified,  saying,  ver.  13,  That  "  we  are  all 
baptized  by  the  one  Spirit  into  one  body ;"  and  then,  ver. 
28,  he  numbers  up  the  several  dispensations  thereof,  which 
by  God  are  set  in  the  church  through  the  various  workings 
of  his  Spirit  for  the  edification  of  the  whol^.  Then  if  there 
be  no  true  member  of  the  body  which  is  not  thus  baptized 
by  the  Spirit,  neither  any  thing  that  worketh  to  the  edify- 
ing of  it,  but  according  to  a  measure  of  grace  received 
from  the  Spirit,  surely  without  grace  none  ought  to  be  ad- 
mitted to  work  or  labour  in  the  body,  because  their  labour 
and  work,  without  this  grace  and  Spirit,  would  be  but  in 
effectual. 

i'roof  II.  §  XVI.  Thirdly,  That  this  grace  and  gift  is  a  necessar} 
qualification  to  a  minister,  is  clear  from  that  of  the  apostle 
Peter,  1  Pet.  iv.  10,  11,  "As  every  man  hath  received  the 
gift,  even  so  minister  the.  same  one  to  another,  as  good 
stewards  of  the  manifold  grace  of  God.  If  any  man  speak 
let  him  speak  as  the  oracles  of  God :  if  any  man  minister, 
let  him  do  it  as  of  the  ability  which  God  giveth  ;  that  God 
in  all  things  may  be  glorifie(i  through  Jesus  Christ ;  Vj 


OF  THE  MINISTRY. 


285 


whom  be  priise  and  dominion  for  ever,  Amen."  From 
which  it  appears,  that  those  that  minister  must  minister  ac-  The  min.8- 
cording  to  the  gift  and  grace  received  ;  but  they  that  have  {fj  b'|,^e^' 
not  such  a  gift,  cannot  minister  according  thereunto.    Se-  gift  and 

.  grace  re- 

condly,  As  good  stewards  of  the  manifold  grace  of  God  :  ceived. 
but  how  can  a  man  be  a  good  steward  of  that  which  he  Good  stew, 
hath  not.''    Can  ungodly  men,  that  are  not  gracious  them-  what?'' Of 
selves,  be  good  stewards  of  the  manifold  grace  of  God .''  ^^'^'^ ,. 

°      .  .  °  .  abounding 

And  therefore  in  the  following  verses  he  makes  an  exclusive  grace, 

which  is 

limitation  of  such  that  are  not  thus  furnished,  saying,  "If  the  ability 

any  man  speak,  let  him  speak  as  the  oracles  of  God  ;  and  ^"^  f\^'^' 
J  .  .  .  .  .  .  ardship  re- 

11  any  man  minister,  let  him  do  it  as  of  the  ability  that  God  ceived. 

giveth:"  which  is  as  much  as  if  he  had  said,  they  that  can- 
not thus  speak,  and  thus  minister,  ought  not  to  do  it :  for 
this  if  denotes  a  necessary  condition.  Now  what  this  ability 
is,  is  manifest  by  the  former  words,  to  wit,  the  gift  received, 
and  the  grace  whereof  they  are  stewards,  as  by  the  imme- 
diate context  and  dependency  of  the  words  doth  appear. 
Neither  can  it  be  understood  of  a  mere  natural  ability,  be- 
cause man  in  this  condition  is  said  "  not  to  know  the  things 
of  God,"  and  so  he  cannot  minister  them  to  others.  And 
the  following  words  show  this  also,  in  that  he  immediately 
subjoineth,  "  that  God  in  all  things  may  be  glorified  ;" 
but  surely  God  is  not  glorified,  but  greatly  dishonoured, 
when  natural  men,  from  their  mere  natural  ability,  meddle 
in  spiritual  things,  which  they  neither  know  nor  under- 
stand. 

Fourthly,  That  grace  is  a  most  necessary  qualification  I'hojp  If 
for  a  minister,  appears  by  those  qualifications  which  the 
apostle  expressly  requires,  1  Tim.  iii.  2  ;  Tit.  i.,  &c.,  where 
he  saith,  "A  bishop  must  be  blameless,  vigilant,  sober,  of 
good  behaviour,  apt  to  teach,  patient,  a  lover  of  good 
men,  just,  holy,  temperate,  as  the  steward  of  God,  hold- 
ing fast  the  faithful  word  as  he  hath  been  taught."  Upon 
the  other  hand.  He  must  neither  be  given  to  wine,  nor  a 
stiiker,  nor  covetous,  nor  proud,  nor  self-willed,  nor  soon 
angry.  Now  I  ask  if  it  be  not  impossible  that  a  man  can 
have  all  these  above-named  virtues,  and  be  free  of  all 


28G 


PROPOSITION  X. 


How  can  a  these  evils,  without  the  grace  of  God  ?  If  then  these  vir- 
these'vi'i''-^*'  '"^^'^j  ^^'^  ^^^^  producing  of  which  in  a  man  grace  is  abso. 
tues  with-   lutely  necessary,  be  necessary  to  make  a  true  minister  of 

out  the  .  . 

grace  of     the  church  of  Christ  according  to  the  apostle's  judgment, 

surely  grace  must  be  necessary  also. 

Concerning  this  thing  a  learned  man,  and  well  skilled 

in  antiquity,  about  the  time  of  the  reformation,  writeth 
Whatso-  thus  :  "  Whatsoever  is  done  in  the  church,  either  for  orna- 
evorisdaiie  ,),y„j  (,|.  edification  of  reliffion,  whether  in  choosing  maeis- 

in  the  o      '  &  to 

cliurch  trates  or  instituting  ministers  of  the  church,  except  it  bf^ 
without  the    .         ,       ,        ..  /■/-~iiio--       i-i-        •  i 

ministry  of  oone  by  the  nunistry  or  (jod  s  Spirit,  wluch  is  as  it  were  the 

o"— f        soul  of  the  church,  it  is  vain  and  wicked.    For  whoever 

is  vain  and  bath  not  been  called  by  the  Spirit  of  God  to  the  t^real 
wicked.  ... 

office  of  God  and  dignity  of  apostleship,  as  Aaron  was, 

and  hath  not  entered  in  by  the  door,  which  is  Christ,  but 
hath  otherways  risen  in  the  church  by  the  window,  by  the 
favours  of  men,  &c.,  truly  such  a  one  is  not  the  vicar  of 
Christ  and  his  apostles,  but  a  thief  and  robber,  and  the 
Who  is  Ju-  vicar  of  Judas  Iscariot  and  Simon  the  Samaritan.  Hence 
ot^  >icar'?  ^^  "^^  strictly  appointed  concerning  the  election  of  pre- 
lates, which  holy  Dionysius  calls  the  sacrament  of  nomi- 
nation, that  the  bishops  and  apostles  who  should  oversee 
the  service  of  the  church  should  be  men  of  most  entire 
manners  and  life,  po.werful  in  sound  doctrine,  to  give  a 
reason  for  all  things."  So  also  another,*  about  the  same 
time,  writeth  thus:  "Therefore  it  can  never  be,  that  by 
the  tongues  or  learning  any  can  give  a  sound  judgment 
concerning  the  holy  scriptures,  and  the  truth  of  God. 
Lastly,"  saith  he,  "the  sheep  of  Christ  seeks  nothing  but 
the  voice  of  Christ,  which  he  knoweth  by  the  Holy  Spirit, 
wherewith  he  is  filled  :  he  regards  not  learning,  tongues, 
or  any  outward  thing,  so  as  therefore  to  believe  this  or  tl  al 
to  be  the  voice  of  Christ,  his  true  siiepherd  ;  he  knowdh 
that  there  is  need  of  no  other  thing  but  the  testimony  of  the 
Spirit  of  God." 

•  Franeiscus  Lambertus  Avenionensis,  in  his  book  concerning  Pro 
pliecy,  Learning,  Tongues,  and  tlie  Spirit  of  Prophecy.  Argent,  excul 
tniw  151G,  de  prov  cap.  xxiv. 


OF  THE  MINISTRY.  28 

§  XVII.  Against  this  absolute  necessity  of  grace  they  Obj.  l 
object,  That  if  all  ministers  had  the  saving  grace  of  God, 
then  all  ministers  should  be  saved,  seeing  none  can  fall 
away  from  or  lose  saving  grace. 

But  this  objection  is  built  upon  a  false  hypothesis,  Awjw 
purely  denied  by  us  ;  and  we  have  in  the  former  propo- 
sition concerning  perseverance  already  refuted  it. 

Secondly,  It  may  be  objected  to.  us,  That  since  we  affirm  Obj.  2. 
that  every  man  hath  a  measure  of  true  and  saving  grace, 
there  needs  no  singular  qualification  either  to  a  Christian  or 
minister  ;  for  seeing  every  man  hath  this  grace,  then  no  man 
needs  forbear  to  be  a  minister  for  want  of  grace. 

I  answer.  We  have  above  shown  that  there  is  necessary  Answ. 
to  the  making  a  minister  a  special  and  particular  call  from 
the  Spirit  of  God,  which  is  something  besides  the  universal 
dispensation  of  grace  to  all,  accordingto  that  of  the  apostle, 
'<  No  man  taketh  this  honour  unto  himself,  but  he  that  is  Heb.  v.  t 
called  of  God,  as  was  Aaron."    Moreover,  we  understand  All  have 
ny  grace  as  a  qualification  to  a  minister,  not  the  mere  mea-  which^aTi! 
sure  of  lierht,  as  it  is  qriven  to  reprove  and  call  him  to  risfht-  to  "ghi- 

.  eousiiess 

eousness;  but  we  understand  grace  as  it  hath  converted  but  all  are 
the  soul,  and  operateth  powerfully  in  it,  as  hereafter,  con-  Jp"  vlngj 
cerning  the  work  of  ministers,  will  further  appear.    So  we  ""'o  i's  na. 

,  ,  .      ,         ,      .  .       ,  lure  as  to 

understand  not  men  simply  as  having  grace  in  them  as  a  bring  forth 
seed,  which  we  indeed  affirm  all  have  in  a  measure  ;  but  ["^jaJ^^eless 
we  understand  men  that  are  gracious,  leavened  by  it  into  holy  life 
the  nature  thereof,  so  as  thereby  to  bring  forth  those  good 
fruits  of  a  blameless  conversation,  and  of  justice,  holiness, 
patience,  and  temperance,  which  the  apostle  requires  as 
necessary  in  a  true  Christian  bishop  and  minister. 

Thirdly,  They*  object  the  example  of  the  false  prophets,  Obi.  3, 
of  the  Pharisees,  and  of  Judas, 

But  First,  As  to  the  false  prophets,  there  can  nothing  be  Answ, 
more  foolish  and  ridiculous;  as  if  because  there  were 
false  pro]ihets,  really  false,  without  the  grace  of  God,  there- 
fore grace  is  not  necessary  to  a  true  Christian  minister. 


•  So  Nic.  Arnoldus,  sect,  xxxii.  upon  Thesis  iv. 


288 


PROPOSITION  X. 


The  ialse  Indeed  if  they  had  proved  that  true  prophets  wanted  this 
prophets'"^  grace,  the)'  had  said  something ;  but  what  have  false  pro- 
want  the  phets  common  with  true  ministers,  but  that  thev  pretend 
grace  oi  .  '  ' 

God.         falsely  that  which  they  have  not  ?    And  because  false  pro- 
phets want  true  grace,  will  it  therefore  follow,  that  true 
prophets  ought  not  to  have  it,  that  they  may  be  true  and 
not  false?    The  example  of  the  Pharisees  and  priests 
under  the  law  will  not  answer  to  the  gospel  times,  because 
The  service  God  set  apart  a  particular  tribe  for  that  service,  and  par- 
"aw^wasnot  ^'cular  families,  to  whom  it  belonged  by  a  lineal  succession  ; 
purely  spi-  and  also  their  service  and  work  was  not  purely  spiritual, 
figurative,  but  Only  the  performance  of  some  outward  and  carnal  ob- 
formance^of  nervations  and  ceremonies,  which  were  but  a  shadow  of 
which,  as    the  substance  that  was  to  come;  and  therefore  their  work 
hoved^o  be  made  not  the  comers  thereunto  perfect,  as  appertaining  to 
fronf^heir        conscience,  seeing  they  were  appointed  only  according 
autward     to  the  law  of  a  carnal  commandment,  and  not  according 
sot'he'min-  to  the  power  of  an  endless  life.    Notwithstanding  as  in 

isters  of  the  jj^g  fiprure  they  were  to  be  without  blemish  as  to  their  out- 
gospel  must  . 

be  inwardly  ward  man,  and  in  the  performance  of  their  work  they  were 
blemish.     to  be  washed  and  purified  from  their  outward  pollutions 
so  now,  under  the  gospel  times,  the  ministers  in  the  anti- 
type must  be  inwardly  without  blemish  in  their  souls  and 
spirits,  being,  as  the  apostle  requires,  blameless,  and  in 
their  work  and  service  must  be  pure  and  undefded  from 
their  inward  pollutions,  and  so  clean  and  holy,  that  they  maj 
"  otTer  up  spiritual  sacrifices  acceptable  to  God  by  Jesus 
The  minis-  Christ,"  1  Pet.  ii.  5.    As  to  Judas,  the  season  of  his  minis- 
ilisc?ples''of  ^""y  ^^^^        wholly  evangelical,  as  being  before  the  work 
Christ  be-   was  finished,  and  while  Christ  himself  and  his  disciples 

bre  the  .  i      t      ■  i      i  i 

(vork  was  were  yet  subject  to  the  Jewish  observances  and  constitu- 
!L"of'!^!!ro    tions,  and  therefore  his  commission,  as  well  as  that  which 

Wtia  iiiurc  '  ' 

legal  than  the  rest  received  with  him  at  that  time,  was  "  only  to  the 
lical.  house  of  Israel,"  Mat.  x.  5,  6  ;  by  virtue  of  that  commis- 
sion the  rest  of  the  apostles  were  not  empowered  to  go 
forth  and  preach  after  the  resurrection  until  they  had 
waited  at  Jerusalem  for  the  pouring  forth  of  the  Spirit ;  so 
that  it  appears  Judas's  ministry  was  more  legal  than  evan- 


OF  THE  MINISTRY. 


289 


^elical.    Secondly,  Judas's  case,  as  all  will  acknowledge, 
was  singular  and  extraordinary,  he  being  immediately  J  idas  was 
called  by  Christ  himself,  and  accordingly  furnished  and  ly  ^g^fed  of 
empowered  by  him  to  preach,  and  do  miracles;  which  Christ,  and 

,  ,  preached 

immediate  commission  our  adversaries  do  not  so  much  as  freely, 
pretf-nd  to,  and  so  fall  short  of  Judas,  who  trusted  in  ^jvelsM^es 
Chrt  y'l's  words,  and  therefore  went  forth  and  preached,  will  not  do; 

.  ,  ,  ,        •,  •  1  •    •  •   •       /•      1  although 

Witl  out  gold  or  silver,  or  scrip  lor  his  journey  ;  giving  ireely  they 

as  he  had  freely  received ;  which  our  adversaries  will  not  ^pat^en)"of 

do,  as  hereafter  shall  be  observed:  also  that  Judas  at  that  their grace- 

~  „    ,,  T  1  niinis- 

time  had  not  the  least  measure  of  God  s  grace,  1  have  not  try,  say- 
as  yet  heard  proved.    But  is  it  not  sad,  that  even  Pro-  ^'^^ 
testants  should  lay  aside  the  eleven  good  and  faithful  least 

,  1111  fiiii--i  1      ••  measure  of 

apostles,  and  all  the  rest  oi  the  holy  disciples  and  ministers  God's grac* 
of  Christ,  and  betake  them  to  that  one,  of  whom  it  was  ^1^^^^^ 
testified  that  he  was  a  devil,  for  a  pattern  and  example  to 
their  ministry?    Alas  !  it  is  to  be  regretted,  that  too  many 
of  them  resemble  this  pattern  over  much. 

Another  objection  is  usually  made  against  the  necessity  Object. 
of  grace,*  That  in  case  it  were  necessary,  then  such  as  Arnoldue'*^ 
wanted  it  could  not  truly  administer  the  sacraments ;  and 
consequently  the  people  would  be  left  in  doubts  and  in- 
finite scruples,  as  not  knowing  certainly  whether  they  had 
truly  received  them,  because  not  knowing  infallibly 
whether  the  administrators  were  truly  gracious  men. 

But  this  objection  hitteth  not  us  at  all,  because  the  na-  Amw. 
tore  of  that  Spiritual  and  Christian  worship,  which  we 
according  to  the  truth  plead  for,  is  such  as  is  not  neces- 
sarily attended  with  these  carnal  and  outward  institutions, 
from  the  administering  of  which  the  objection  ariseth  ;  and 
so  hath  not  any  such  absurdity  following  upon  it,  as  will 
afterwards  more  clearly  appear. 

§  XVIII.  Though  then  we  make  not  human  learning  what  true 
necessary,  yet  we  are  far  from  excluding  true  learning  ;  to  'eamrig  ia. 
wit,  that  learning  which  proceedeth  from  the  inward 
teacliings  and  instructions  of  the  Spirit,  whereby  the  soul 
learneth  the  secret  ways  of  the  Lord,  becomes  acquainted 
with  many  inward  travails  and  exercises  of  the  mind ;  and 
25  2  m 


290 


PROPOSITION  X. 


The  ^ood 
learning 
which  is 
necessary 
to  a  true 
minister. 


Literature 

is  first  the 
knowledge 
ol  Latin, 
Greok,  and 
Hebrew. 


learneth  by  a  living  experience  how  to  overcome  evil,  ana 
the  temptations  of  it,  by  following  the  Lord,  anil  walking 
in  his  light,  and  waiting  daily  for  wisdom  and  knowledge 
immediately  from  the  revelation  thereof ;  and  so  layeth  up 
these  heavenly  and  divine  lessons  in  the  good  treasure  of 
the  heart,  as  honest  Mary  did  the  sayings  which  she  heard, 
and  things  which  she  observed :  and  also  out  of  this  trea- 
sure of  the  soul,  as  the  good  scribe,  brings  forth  things 
new  and  old,  according  as  the  same  Spirit  moves,  and 
gives  true  liberty,  and  as  the  glory  of  God  requires,  for 
whose  glory  the  soul,  which  is  the  temple  of  God,  learneth 
to  do  all  things.  This  is  that  good  learning  which  we 
think  necessary  to  a  true  minister ;  by  and  through  which 
learning  a  man  can  well  instruct,  teach,  and  admonish  in 
due  season,  and  testify  for  God  from  a  certain  experience , 
as  did  David,  Solomon,  and  the  holy  prophets  of  old,  and 
the  blessed  apostles  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  Who  testi« 
fied  of  what  they  had  seen,  heard,  felt,  and  handled  of 
the  word  of  life,  1  John  i.  1,  Ministering  the  gift  according 
as  they  had  received  the  same,  as  good  stewards  of  the 
manifold  grace  of  God  ;  and  preached  not  the  uncertain 
rumors  of  men  by  hearsay,  which  they  had  gathered  merely 
in  the  comprehension,  while  they  were  strangers  to  the 
thing  in  their  own  experience  in  themselves :  as  to  teach 
people  how  to  believe,  while  themselves  were  unbelieving ; 
or  how  to  overcome  sin,  while  themselves  are  slaves  to  it, 
as  all  ungracious  men  are  ;  or  to  believe  and  hope  for  an 
eternal  reward,  which  themselves  have  not  as  yet  arrived 
at,  &c. 

§  XIX.  But  let  us  examine  this  literature,  which  they 
make  so  necessary  to  the  being  of  a  minister ;  as  in  the 
first  place,  the  knowledge  of  the  tongues,  at  least  the  Latin, 
Greek,  and  Hebrew.  The  reason  of  this  is,  Tliat  they  may 
read  the  scripture,  which  is  their  only  rule,  in  the  original 
languages,  and  thereby  be  the  more  capable  to  comment 
upon  it,  and  interpret  it,  &c.  That  also  which  made  this 
knowledgenbe  the  more  prized  by  the  primitive  Protestants, 
was  indeed  the  dark  barbarity  that  was  over  the  world  in 


OF  THE  MINISTRY. 


291 


the  centuries  immediately  preceding  llie  relbrmation  ;  the 
knowledge  of  the  tongues  being  about  that  time,  until  it 
was  even  then  restored  by  Erasmus  and  some  others,  al- 
most lost  and  extinct.    And  this  barbarity  was  so  much  Before  the 
the  more  abominable,  that  the  whole  worship  and  prayers  , he  prayers 

of  the  people  were  in  the  Latin  tonsjue  :  and  amon<i[  that  °'  '''^  p^?' 

'      »  .  P'fi  were  in 

Vixst  number  of  priests,  monks  and  friars,  scarce  one  of  a  ilie  Latin 

thousand  understood  his  breviary,  or  that  mass  which  he 

daily  read  and  repeated :  the  scripture  being,  not  only  to 

the  people,  but  to  the  greater  part  of  the  clergy,  even  as  to 

the  literal  knowledge  of  it,  as  a  sealed  book.    I  shall  not  The  zeal 

at  all  discommend  the  zeal  that  the  first  reformers  had  vours  of  ihi 

aeainst  this  Babylonish  darkness,  nor  their  pious  endea-  ^^^^ 

•'  '  r  mers  com- 

vours  to  translate  the  holy  scriptures :  I  do  truly  believe,  mended, 
according  to  their  knowledge,  that  they  did  it  candidly: 
and  therefore  to  answer  the  just  desires  of  those  that  desire  The  know- 
to  read  them,  and  for  other  very  good  reasons,  as  main-  langua'ges 
tainins:  a  commerce  and  understanding:  amonsr  divers  na-  commend- 

°  fat)  able,  and 

tions  by  these  common  languages,  and  others  of  that  kind,  schools  nc 
we  judge  it  necessary  and  commendable  that  there  be 
public  schools  for  the  teaching  and  instructing  such  youth, 
as  are  inclinable  thereunto,  in  the  languages.    And  al- 
though that  papal  ignorance  deserved  justly  to  be  abhorred 
and  abominated,  we  see  nevertheless,  that  the  true  reforma- 
tion consists  not  in  that  knowledge  ;  because  although  since  ThePapisti 
that  time  the  Papists,  stirred  up  through  emulation  of  the  andTnow- 
Protestants,  have  more  applied  themselves  to  literature,  and  'edge.esp. 

.....  .  cially  lb  6 

it  now  more  flonrisheth  in  their  universities  and  cloisters,  Jesuits, 
than  before,  e.specially  in  the  Ignatian  or  Jesuitic  sect,  they 
are  as  far  now  as  ever  from  a  true  reformation,  and  more 
hardened  in  their  pernicious  doctrines.  But  all  this  will 
not  make  it  a  necessary  qualification  to  a  minister,  far  less  a 
more  necessary  qualification  than  the  grace  of  God  and  his 
Spirit ;  because  the  Spirit  and  grace  of  God  can  make  up 
this  want  in  the  most  rustic  and  ignorant ;  but  this  know- 
ledge can  no  ways  make  up  the  want  of  the  Spirit  in  the 
most  learned  and  eloquent.  For  all  that  which  man  by  his 
own  industry,  learning  and  knowledge  in  the  languages, 


292 


PROPOSITION  X. 


The  Spirit  cai  witerpret  of  the  scriptures,  or  find  out,  is  nothing  witn- 
interpreter  o^t  the  Spirit;  he  cannot  be  certain,  but  may  still  miss  of 
of  the  scrip-       sense  of  it:  whereas  a  poor  man,  that  knoweth  not  a 

lures,  whe-  ' 

•.her  from    letter,  when  he  heareth  the  scriptures  read,  by  the  same 
languages?'  Spirit  he  Can  say,  This  is  true  ;  and  by  the  same  Spirit  he 
them"'^°"^  can  understand,  open,  and  interpret  it,  if  need  be :  yea, 
finding  his  condition  to  answer  the  condition  and  ex- 
perience of  the  saints  of  old,  he  knoweth  and  possesseth 
the  truths  there  delivered,  because  they  are  sealed  and  wit- 
nessed in  his  own  heart  by  the  same  Spirit.    And  this  we 
have  plentiful  experience  of  in  many  of  those  illiterate  men, 
whom  God  hath  raised  up  to  be  ministers  in  his  church  in 
this  day  ;  so  that  some  such,  by  his  Spirit,  have  corrected 
some  of  the  errors  of  the  translators,  as  in  the  third  pro- 
position concerning  the  scriptures  I  before  observed.  Yea, 
A  poor      I  know  myself  a  poor  shoemaker,,  that  cannot  read  a  word, 
flmt^^ccTuld'^'        being  assaulted  with  a  false  citation  of  scripture,  from 
not  read,     a  public  professor  of  divinity,  before  the  magistrate  of  a 

rotut6S  SL  ,  11111  I  n  1* 

professor  of  city,  when  he  had  been  taken  up  tor  preaching  to  some 
li'ilT'iL!..  ff  w  that  came  to  hear  him  :  I  say,  I  know  such  a  one,  and 
lions  from   he  is  yet  alive,  who  though  the  professor,  who  also  is 

scripture.  *^  ,      ,  ,  ,  ... 

esteemed  a  learned  man,  constantly  asserted  his  saying  to 
be  a  scripture  sentence,  yet  affirmed,  not  through  any  certain 
letter-knowledge  he  had  of  it,  but  from  the  most  certain 
evidence  of  the  Spirit  in  himself,  that  the  professor  was 
mistaken  ;  and  that  the  Spirit  of  God  never  said  any  such 
thing  as  the  other  affirmed  :  and  the  bible  being  brought, 
it  was  found  as  the  poor  shoemaker  had  said. 
2.  Logic        §  XX.  The  second  part  of  their  literature  is  logic  and 
Bopliy'W'ot    philosophy,  an  art  so  little  needful  to  a  true  minister,  that 
iredful  to   if        th^{  comes  to  be  a  true  minister  hath  had  it,  it  is 

pteacher. 

safest  for  him  to  forget  and  lose  it ;  for  it  is  the  root  and 
ground  of  all  contention  and  debate,  and  the  way  to  make 
a  thing  a  great  deal  darker,  than  clearer.  For  under  the 
pretence  of  regulating  man's  reason  into  a  certain  order 
and  rules,  that  he  may  find  out,  as  they  pretend,  the  truth, 
it  leads  into  such  a  labyrinth  of  contention,  as  is  far  more 
fit  to  make  a  sceptic  than  a  Christian,  far  less  a  minister 


OF  THE  MINISTRY.  293 

of  Christ ;  yea,  it  often  hinders  man  from  a  clear  under- 
standing of  things  that  his  own  reason  would  give  him  ; 
and  therefore  through  its  manifold  rules  and  divers  inven- 
tions, it  often  gives  occasion  for  a  man,  that  hath  little 
reason,  foolishly  to  speak  much  to  no  purpose  ;  seeing  a 
man,  that  is  not  very  wise,  may  notwithstanding  be  a  per- 
fect logician.  And  then,  if  ye  would  make  a  man  a  fool 
to  purpose  that  is  not  very  wise,  do  but  teach  him  logic 
and  philosophy  ;  and  whereas  before  he  might  have  been 
fit  for  something,  he  shall  then  be  good  for  nothing,  but  to 
speak  nonsense  ;  for  these  notions  will  so  swim  in  his  head, 
that  they  will  make  him  extremely  busy  about  nothing. 
The  use  that  wise  and  solid  men  make  of  it,  is,  to  see  the  The  use  of 
emptiness  thereof ;  therefore  saith  one,  It  is  an  art  of  con-  ieeTtsemp- 
tention  and  darkness,  by  which  all  other  sciences  are  ren-  ''"ess. 
dered  more  obscure,  and  harder  to  be  understood. 

If  it  be  urged.  That  thereby  the  truth  may  be  maintained 
and  confirmed,  and  heretics  confuted  ; 

I  answer,  The  truth,  in  men  truly  rational,  needeth  not  Answ. 
the  help  thereof;  and  such  as  are  obstinate,  this  will  not 
convince ;  for  by  this  they  may  learn  twenty  tricks  and 
distinctions,  how  to  shut  out  the  truth :  and  the  truth  pro- 
ceeding from  an  honest  heart,  and  spoken  forth  from  the 
virtue  and  Spirit  of  God,  will  have  more  influence,  and 
take  sooner  and  more  effectually,  than  by  a  thousand  de- 
monstrations of  logic  ;  as  that  heathen  philosopher*  acknow-  a  heathen 
ledged,  who,  disputing  with  the  Christian  bishops  in  the  5i'gp°^t?n''^' 
council  of  Nice,  was  so  subtile,  that  he  could  not  be  over-  with  the 
come  by  them  ;  but  yet  by  a  few  words  spoken  by  a  simple  the  council 

old  rustic,  was  presently  convinced  by  him,  and  converted  office, 
.    .  .  .  .  was  con- 

to  the  Christian  faith  ;  and  being  enquired  how  he  came  verted  to 

to  yield  to  that  ignorant  old  man,  and  not  to  the  bishops;  ij^anfahT 
he  said.  That  they  contended  with  him  in  his  own  way,  ''V  an  igno 

.    •'  .  *' '  rant  old 

and  he  could  still  give  words  for  words ;  but  there  came  man,  when 
from  the  old  man  that  virtue,  which  he  was  not  able  to  n^t.' 
resist.  This  secret  virtue  and  power  ought  to  be  the  logic  and 


*  Liicee  Osiandti  Epit.  Hist.  EccU$.,  lib.  ii.,  cap.  5.,  cent.  4. 

25* 


294 


PROPOSITION  X. 


philosophy  wherewith  a  true  Christicin  minister  should  bt 
furnished  ;  and  for  which  tiicy  need  not  be  beholden  to 
Natural  lo-  Aristotle.    As  to  natural  logic,  by  which  rational  men, 
gic  use  u  .  jjjg^  ^j.^  ^i^j  rules,  or  sophistical  learning,  deduce 

a  certain  conclusion  out  of  true  propositions,  which  scarce 
any  man  of  reason  wants,  we  deny  not  the  use  of  it ;  and 
I  have  sometimes  used  it  in  this  treatise ;  which  also  may 
3.  Ethics,    serve  without  that  dialectic  art.    As  for  the  other  part  cf 
aer-'rule's"to  pbilosophy,  which  is  called  moral,  or  ethics,  it  is  not  so 
Christians  necessary  to  Christians,  who  have  the  rules  of  the  holy 

not  needful.       .  ,    ,  /•   i     tt  i     ci  •  •     i        i  •  i  i 

scriptures,  and  the  giit  oi  the  Holy  spirit,  by  which  they 
1.  Physics  can  be  much  better  instructed.  The  physical  and  meta- 
"aphyslc'sf'  physical  part  may  be  reduced  to  the  arts  of  medicine  and 
make  no     the  mathematics,  which  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  essence 

preachers       ,      ,^     .    .  .  .  a     i  r 

of  the  truth,  of  a  Christian  minister.    And  therefore  the  apostle  Paul, 
who  well  understood  what  was  good  for  Christian  minis- 
ters, and  what  hurtful,  thus  exhorted  the  Colossians,  Col. 
ii.  8,  "  Beware  lest  any  man  spoil  you  through  philosophy 
and  vain  deceit."    And  to  his  beloved  disciple  Timothy 
he  writes  also  thus,  1  Tim.  vi.  20,  "  0  Timothy,  keep  that 
which  is  committed  to  thy  trust,  avoiding  profane  and  vain 
babblings,  and  oppositions  of  science,  falsely  so  called." 
III.  The        §  XXI,  The  third  and  main  part  of  their  literature  is 
schooMi-   school-divinity,  a  monster,  made  up  of  some  scriptural  no- 
nniiy  ob-    tioiis  of  truth,  and  the  heathenish  terms  and  maxims; 

noxious;  a       .  .  i      •  i      i  -i  i    •    •     •  i 

monster;    being,  as  it  were,  the  heathenish  philosophy  christianized, 

Knolwed^e  ^r  rather,  the  literal  external  knowledge  of  Christ  heathen- 

licaihon-  ized.  It  is  man  in  his  first,  fallen,  natural  state,  with  his 
led.  .  .  . 

devilish  wisdom,  pleasing  himself  with  some  notions  of 

truth,  and  adorning  them  with  his  own  sensual  and  carnal 
wisdom,  because  he  thinks  the  simplicity  of  the  truth  too  low 
and  mean  a  thing  for  him  ;  and  so  despiseth  that  simplicity, 
wheresoever  it  is  found,  that  he  may  set  up  and  exalt  him- 
self, puffed  up  with  this  his  monstrous  birth.  It  is  the  devil, 
darkening,  obscuring,  and  veiling  the  knowledge  of  God, 
with  his  serpentine  and  worldly  wisdom  ;  that  so  he  may 
the  more  securely  deceive  the  hearts  of  the  simple,  and 
make  the  truth,  as  it  is  in  itself,  despicable  and  hard  to  be 


OF  THE  MINISTRY. 


29d 


known  and  understood,  by  multiplying  a  thousand  difficult 
and  needless  questions,  and  endless  contentions  and  de- 
bates. All  which,  he  who  perfectly  knoweth,  is  not  a  whit 
less  the  servant  of  sin  than  he  was  ;  but  ten  times  more  s  j, 
in  that  he  is  exalted,  and  proud  of  iniquity,  and  so  much 
the  farther  from  receiving,  understanding,  or  learning  the 
truth,  as  it  is  in  its  own  naked  simplicity  ;  because  he  is 
full,  learned^  rich,  and  wise  in  his  own  conceit :  and  so 
those  that  are  most  skilled  in  it,  wear  out  their  day,  and 
spend  their  precious  time  about  the  infinite  and  innumer- 
able questions  they  have  feigned  and  invented  concerning 
it.  A  certain  learned  man  called  it,  A  twofold  discipline, 
like  the  race  of  the  Centaurs,  partly  proceeding  from  divine 
sayings,  parUy  from  philosophical  reasons.  A  thousand  of  Its  neediest 
their  questions  they  confess  themselves  to  be  no-ways  ne-  and^endlesi 
cessary  to  salvation ;  and  yet  many  more  of  them  they  ja"gling8- 
could  never  agree  upon,  but  are,  and  still  will  be,  in  end- 
less janglings  about  them.  The  volumes  that  have  been 
written  about  it,  a  man  in  his  whole  age  could  scarce  read, 
though  he  lived  to  be  very  old ;  and  when  he  has  read 
them  all,  he  has  but  wrought  himself  a  great  deal  more 
vexation  and  trouble  of  spirit  than  he  had  be.''ore.  These 
certainly  are  the  words  multiplied  without  knowledge  ; 
by  which  counsel  hath  been  darkened,  Job  xxxviii.  2. 
They  make  the  scripture  the  text  of  all  this  mass  ;  and  it  is 
concerning  the  sense  of  it  that  their  voluminous  debates 
arise.  But  a  man  of  a  good  ujjright  heart  may  learn  more 
in  half  an  hour,  and  be  more  certain  of  it,  by  waiting  upon 
God,  and  his  Spirit  in  the  heart,  than  by  reading  a  thou- 
sand of  their  volumes  ;  which  by  filling  his  head  with  many 
needless  imaginations,  may  well  stagger  his  faith,  but  never 
confirm  it :  and  indeed  those  that  give  themselves  most  to 
it,  are  most  capable  to  fall  into  error,  as  appeareth  by  the 
example  of  Origen,  who,  by  his  learning,  was  one  of  the 
first,  that  falling  into  this  way  of  interpreting  the  scriptures, 
wrote  so  many  volumes,  and  in  them  so  many  errors,  as 
very  much  troubled  the  clinrch.  Also  Arius,  led  by  this 
curiosity  and  human  scru<iny,  despising  the  simplicity  of 


296 


PROPOSITION  X. 


conse- 
quence 


Whereby    the  gospel,  fell  into  his  error,  which  was  the  cause  of  tha\ 
into"error    horrible  heresy  which  so  much  troubled  the  church.  Me- 
»nd schism,  thinks  the  simplicity,  plainness,  and  brevity  of  the  scrip- 
tures themselves,  should  be  a  sufficient  reproof  for  such  a 
science  ;  and  the  apostles,  being  honest,  plain,  illiterate 
men,  may  be  better  understood  by  such  kind  of  men  now, 
than  with  all  that  mass  of  scholastic  stuff,  which  neither 
Peter,  nor  Paul,  nor  John,  ever  thought  of. 
The  apos-      §  XXII.  But  this  invention  of  Satan,  wherewith  he  be- 
dangerous^  g^'^  the  apostasy,  hath  been  of  dangerous  consequence ; 

for  thereby  he  at  first  spoiled  the  simplicity  of  truth,  by 
keeping  up  the  heathenish  learning,  which  occasioned  such 
Many  of  uncertainty,  even  among  those  called  Fathers,  and  such 
dTnofonly^  debate,  that  there  are  few  of  them  to  be  found,  who,  by 
contradict   reason  of  this  mixture,  do  not  only  frequently  contradict 

6&ch  otnGr  J        i.  J 

but  them-'  one  another,  but  themselves  also.  And  therefore  when  the 
•n'd  why'^"'  ^po^tasy  grew  greater,  he,  as  it  were,  buried  the  truth  with 
this  v-eil  of  darkness,  wholly  shutting  out  people  from  true 
knowledge,  and  making  the  learned  (so  accounted)  busy 
themselves  with  idle  and  needless  questions ;  while  the 
weighty  truths  of  God  were  neglected,  and  went,  as  it  were, 
into  disuse. 

Now,  though  the  grossest  of  these  abuses  be  swept  away 
by  Protestants ;  yet  the  evil  root  still  remains,  and  is  nou- 
rished and  upheld  ;  and  the  science  kept  up,  as  being 
deemed  necessary  for  a  minister :  for,  while  the  pure  learn- 
ing of  the  Spirit  of  truth  is  despised  and  neglected,  and 
made  ineffectual,  man's  fallen  earthly  wisdom  is  upheld  ; 
and  so  in  that  he  labours  and  works  with  the  scriptures, 
being  out  of  the  Life  and  Spirit  which  those  that  wrote 
them  were  in,  by  which  only  they  are  rightly  understood, 
Merchan-    and  made  use  of.  And  so  he  tht-t  is  to  be  a  minister,  must 
thescrTp-'^  learn  this  art  or  trade  of  merchandizing  with  the  scriptures, 
lures,  what  and  be  that  which  the  apostle  would  not  be,  to  wit,  a  trader 
See  also     with  them,  2  Cor.  ii.  17.    That  he  may  acquire  a  knack 
2Pet.il.  3.  ^^Q^  ^  verse  of  scripture,  by  adding  his  own  barren  notions 
and  conceptions  to  it,  and  his  uncertain  conjectures,  and 
what  he  hath  stolen  out  of  books ;  for  which  end  he  must 


OK  THE  MINISTRY. 


have  of  necessity  a  good  many  by  him,  and  uey  eacK 

SabbaUi-day,  as  they  call  it,  or  oftener,  make  a  discourse 

for  an  hour  long  ;  and  this  is  called  the  preaching  of  the  And  (his 

word  :  whereas  the  gift,  grace,  and  Spirit  of  God,  to  teach,  [Jje preach 

open,  and  instruct,  and  to  preach  a  word  in  season,  is  ne-  mgofthe 

glected  ;  and  so  man's  arts  and  parts,  and  knowledge,  and 

wisdom,  which  is  from  below,  are  set  up  and  established  Thus  And 

in  the  temple  of  God,  yea,  and  above  the  little  seed  ;  which  establi's^hed 

in  efTect  is  Antichrist,  working  in  the  mystery.  And  so  the  ^ggj'^j'j^g 

devil  may  be  as  good  and  able  a  minister  as  the  best  of  kingdom. 

them  ;  for  he  has  better  skill  in  languages,  and  more  logic,  How  the 

philosophy  and  school-divinity,  than  any  of  them  ;  and  jje^j'^^pig. 

knows  the  truth  in  the  notion  better  than  they  all,  and  can  terof  the 

priGsts 

talk  more  eloquently  than  all  those  preachers.  But  what  gospel, 
availeth  all  this  ?  Is  it  not  all  but  as  death,  as  a  painted 
sepulchre,  and  dead  carcase,  without  the  power,  life  and 
spirit  of  Christianity,  which  is  the  marrow  and  substance 
of  a  Christian  ministry And  he  that  hath  this,  and  can 
speak  from  it,  though  he  be  a  poor  shepherd,  or  a  fisher- 
man, and  ignorant  of  all  that  learning,  and  of  all  those 
questions  and  notions ;  yet  speaking  from  the  Spirit,  his 
ministry  will  have  more  influence  towards  the  converting 
of  a  sinner  unto  God,  than  all  of  them  who  are  learned 
after  the  flesh  ;  as  in  that  example  of  the  old  man  at  the 
council  of  Nice  did  appear. 

§  XXIII.  And  if  in  any  age,  since  the  apostles'  days,  Thepowei 
God  hath  purposed  to  show  his  power  by  weak  instruments,  weait  in^'' 

for  the  battering-  down  of  that  carnal  and  heathenish  wis-  siruments 
.  .  reslornig 

dom,  and  restoring  again  the  ancient  simiilicity  of  truth,  ihe  simpli 
this  is  it.  For  in  our  day,  God  hath  raised  up  witnesses  uuih" 
for  himself,  as  he  did  fishermen  of  old  ;  many,  yea,  most 
of  whom,  are  labouring  and  mechanic  men,  who,  altoge- 
thtr  without  that  learning,  have,  by  the  power  and  Spirit 
of  God,  struck  at  the  very  root  and  ground  of  Babylon; 
and  in  the  strength  and  might  of  this  power,  have  gathered 
thousands,  by  reaching  their  consciences,  into  the  same 
power  and  life,  who,  as  to  the  outward  part,  have  been  far 
more  knowing  than  they,  yet  not  able  to  resist  the  virtue 

2m 


298 


PROPOSITION  X. 


Th«iiowfr- 
lul  niinisiry 
of  illiterate 


The  time 
of  the  au- 
thor's first 
convince- 
ment. 
Job  xxviii. 
2t<. 


QvES.  3. 


The  work 
of  a  ininis- 
!ei. 


that  proceeded  from  them.  Of  whicli  1  myself  am  a  true 
witness;  and  can  declare  from  certain  experience,  because 
my  heart  hath  been  often  greatly  broken  and  tendered  by 
that  virtuous  life  that  proceeded  from  the  powerful  ministry 
of  those  illiterate  men :  so  that  by  their  very  countenance, 
as  well  as  words,  I  have  felt  the  evil  in  me  often  chai-ed 
down,  and  the  good  reached  to  and  raised.  What  sha!  i 
then  say  to  you,  who  are  lovers  of  learning,  and  admirers 
of  knowledge  Was  not  I  also  a  lover  and  admirer  of  it, 
who  also  sought  after  it,  according  to  my  age  and  capacity 
But  it  pleased  God,  in  his  unutterable  love,  early  to  with- 
stand my  vain  endeavours,  while  I  was  yet  but  eighteen 
years  of  age  ;  and  made  me  seriously  to  consider  (which  I 
wish  also  may  befal  others)  That  without  holiness  and 
regeneration,  no  man  can  see  God  ;  and  that  the  fear 
of  the  Lord  is  the  beginning  of  wisdom,  and  to  depart  from 
iniquity,  a  good  understanding;  and  how  much  knowledge 
puffeth  up,  and  leadeth  away  from  that  inward  quietness, 
stillness,  and  humility  of  mind,  where  the  Lord  appears, 
and  his  heavenly  wisdom  is  revealed.  If  ye  consider  these 
things,  then  will  ye  say  with  me,  that  all  this  learning,  wis- 
dom and  knowledge,  gathered  in  this  fallen  nature,  is  but 
as  dross  and  dung,  in  comparison  of  the  cross  of  Christ ; 
especially  being  destitute  of  that  power,  life  and  virtue, 
which  I  perceived  these  excellent  (though  despised,  be- 
cause illiterate)  witnesses  of  God  to  be  filled  with :  and 
therefore  seeing,  that  in  and  among  them,  I,  with  many 
others,  have  found  the  heavenly  food  that  gives  content- 
ment, let  my  soul  seek  after  this  learning,  and  wait  for  t 
for  ever. 

§  XXIV.  Having  thus  spoken  of  the  call  and  qualifica- 
tions of  a  gospel-minister,  that  which  comes  next  to  be 
considered,  is,  What  his  proper  work  is,  how,  and  by  what 
rule,  he  is  to  be  ordered Our  adversaries  do  all  along  go 
upon  externals,  and  therefore  have  certain  prescribed  rules 
and  methods,  contrived  according  to  their  human  and 
earthly  wisdom  :  we,  on  the  contrary,  walk  still  upon  the 
same  foundation,  and  lean  always  upon  the  immediate  as- 


OF  THE  MINISTRY 


299 


sistance  and  influence  of  that  Holy  Spirit,  which  GoJ  hatli  The  Holy 

given  his  children,  to  teach  them  all  things,  and  lead  them  spirit'of 

in  all  things :  which  Spirit,  being  the  Spirit  of  order,  and  order  and 
o  '      '  /.  II       •  of  con 

not  '^f  confusion,  leads  us,  and  as  many  as  follow  it,  into  fusion. 

such  a  comely  and  decent  order  as  becometh  the  church 
of  God.  But  our  adversaries,  having  shut  themselves  out 
from  this  immediate  counsel  and  influence  of  the  Spirit, 
have  run  themselves  into  many  confusions  and  disorders, 
seeking  to  establish  an  order  in  this  matter.  For  some  will  Popish  or- 
have  first  a  chief  bishop,  or  pope,  to  rule  and  be  a  prin^t^  offices"  &c 
over  all ;  and  under  him,  by  degrees,  cardinals,  patriarchs, 
archbishops,  priests,  deacons,  sub-deacons ;  and  besides 
these,  Acoluthi,  Tonsorati,  Ostiarii,  &c.  And  in  their 
theology  (as  they  call  it)  professors,  bachelors,  doctors,  &c. 
And  others  would  have  every  nation  independent  of  an- 
other, having  its  own  metropolitan  or  patriarch  ;  and  the 
rest  in  order  subject  to  him,  as  before.  Others  again  are 
against  all  precedency  among  pastors,  and  constitute  their 
subordination  not  of  persons,  but  of  powers :  as  first  the 
consistory,  or  session  ;  then  the  class,  or  presbytery  ;  then 
the  provincial ;  and  then  the  national  synod  or  assembly. 
Thus  they  tear  one  another,  and  contend  among  themselves 
concerning  the  ordering,  distinguishing,  and  making  their 
several  orders  and  offices  ;  concerning  which  there  hath 
been  no  less  contest,  not  only  by  way  of  verbal  dispute, 
but  even  by  fighting,  tumults,  wars,  devastations,  and  Wars  and 
bloodshed,  than  about  the  conquering,  overturning,  and  about^^^'^ 
establishing  of  kingdoms.    And  the  histories  of  late  times  church  go 

vGrnmcnt. 

are  as  full  of  the  various  tragedies,  acted  on  account  of 
this  spiritual  and  ecclesiastical  monarchy  and  common- 
wealth, as  the  histories  of  old  times  are  of  the  wars  and 
contests  that  fell  out  both  in  the  Assyrian,  Persian,  Greek 
and  Roman  empires :  these  last  upon  this  account,  though 
among  those  that  are  called  Christians,  have  been  no  less 
bloody  ^nd  cruel  than  the  former  among  heathen,  concern- 
ing their  outward  empires  and  governments.  Now  all  this,  Theground 
both  among  Papists  and  Protestants,  proceedeth,  in  that  fh'ej^'^" 
ihey  seek  in  imitation  to  uphold  a  form  and  shadow  of 


300 


PROPOSITION  X. 


things,  thougli  they  want  the  power,  virtue  and  substance  ^ 
while  for  many  of  their  orders  and  forms  they  have  not  so 
much  as  the  name  in  the  scripture.    But  in  opposition  to 
all  this  mass  of  formality,  and  heap  of  orders,  rules  and 
governments,  we  say,  the  substance  is  chiefly  to  be  sc  ight 
after,  and  the  power,  virtue  and  spirit,  is  to  be  known  and 
waited  for,  which  is  one  in  all  the  different  names  and 
offices  the  scripture  makes  use  of;  as  appears  by  1  Cor.  xii. 
4,  (often  before  mentioned)  "  There  are  diversities  of  gifts, 
but  the  same  Spirit."    And  after  the  apostle,  throughout 
the  whole  chapter,  hath  shown  how  one  and  the  selfsame 
Spirit  worketh  in  and  quickeneth  each  member ;  then  in 
verse  28,  he  showeth  how  thereby  God  hath  set  in  the 
church,  first  apostles,  secondly  prophets,  teachers,  &c.  And 
likewise  to  the  same  purpose,  Eph.  iv.  11,  he  showeth,  how 
by  these  gifts  "  he  hath  given  some  apostles,  some  prophets, 
some  evangelists,  some  pastors,  some  teachers,"  &c.  Now 
it  never  was  Christ's  purpose,  nor  the  apostles',  that  Chris- 
tians should,  without  this  Spirit  and  heavenly  gift,  set  up  a 
shadow  and  form  of  these  orders,  and  so  make  several 
ranks  and  degrees,  to  establish  a  carnal  ministry  of  men's 
making,  without  the  life,  power  and  Spirit  of  Christ :  this 
The  work  is  that  work  of  Antichrist,  and  mystery  of  iniquity,  that 
chitst^and   hath  got  up  in  the  dark  night  of  apostasy.    But  in  a  true 
mystery  of  (church  of  Christ,  gathered  together  by  God,  not  only  into 
the  belief  of  the  principles  of  truth,  but  also  into  the  power, 
life  and  Spirit  of  Christ,  the  Spirit  of  God  is  the  orderer, 
ruler  and  governor;  as  in  each  particular,  so  in  the  general. 
And  when  they  assemble  together  to  wait  upon  God,  and 
Siich  as  the  to  worship  and  adore  him;  then  such  as  the  Spirit  sets 
apar:  lolho  apart  for  the  ministry,  by  its  divine  power  and  influence 
minisuy,    opening  their  mouths,  and  giving  them  to  exhort,  reprove, 
ihren  hear  and  instruct  with  virtue  and  power ;  these  are  thus  oidaire^ 
ihem.  Q^^l  j^j^j  admitted  into  the  ministry,  and  their  o.ethren 

cannot  but  hear  them,  receive  them,  and  also  honour  them 
for  their  work's  sake.    And  so  this  is  not  monopolized  by 
The  clergy  a  certain  kind  of  men,  as  the  clergy  (who  are  to  that  pur- 
>nd  laicB.    p^^g  educated  and  brought  up  as  other  carnal  artists)  ind 


OF  THE  MINISTRY. 


301 


the  rest  to  be  de.'-pised  as  laics  ;  but  it  is  left  to  tiio  free 
gift  of  God  to  choose  any  whom  he  seeth  meet  thereunto, 
whetl.er  rich  or  poor,  servant  or  master,  young  or  old,  yea, 
male  or  female.  And  such  as  have  this  call,  verify  the  Women 
gospel,  by  preaching  not  in  speech  only,  but  also  in  preach, 
power,  and  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  in  much  fulness,  1 
Tht'ss.  i.  5,  and  cannot  but  be  received  and  heard  by  the 
sheep  of  Christ. 

§  XXV.  But  if  it  be  objected  here.  That  I  seem  hereby  Object. 
to  make  no  distinction  at  all  betwixt  ministers  and  others ; 
which  is  contrary  to  the  apostle's  saying,  1  Cor.  xii.  29, 
"Are  all  apostles  Are  all  prophets.''  Are  all  teachers  ?" 
&c.  From  thence  they  insinuate.  That  I  also  contradict 
his  comparison  in  that  chapter,  of  the  church  of  Christ  with 
a  human  body  ;  as  where  he  saith,  verse  17,  <'  If  the  whole 
body  were  an  eye,  where  were  the  hearing?  If  the  whole 
were  hearing,  where  were  the  smelling?"  &c.  Also  the 
apostle  not  only  distinguisheth  the  ministers  of  the  church 
in  general  from  the  rest  of  the  members,  but  also  from  them- 
selves ;  as  naming  them  distinctly  and  separately,  apostles, 
prophets,  evangelists,  pastors,  teachers,  &c. 

As  to  the  last  part  of  this  objection,  to  which  I  shall  first  Ans.  l. 
answer ;  it  is  apparent,  that  this  diversity  of  names  is  not  Diversity 
to  distinguish  separate  offices,  but  to  denote  the  different  makes'no 
and  various  oi)erations  of  the  Spirit :  a  manner  of  speech  distinct 

•  1      ,  1     T.    f       1       •      1  •         offices;  but 

frequent  with  the  apostle  Paul,  wherein  he  sometimes  which  may 
exj)atiates  to  the  Illustrating  of  the  glory  and  praise  of  be"to^e7he' 
God's  grace  :  as  in  particular,  Rom.  xii.  6  :  "  Having  then 
gifts  differing  according  to  the  grace  that  is  given  us, 
whether  prophecy,  let  us  prophesy  according  to  the  pro- 
portion of  faith  ;  or  ministry,  let  us  wait  on  our  minister- 
ing ;  or  he  that  teacheth,  on  teaching;  or  he  that  exhor 
teth,  on  exhortation."    Now  none  will  say  from  all  this, 
that  these  are  distinct  offices,  or  do  not  or  may  not  coin- 
cide in  one  person,  as  may  all  those  other  things  mentioned 
by  him  in  the  subsequent  verses,  viz.,  Of  loving,  being 
kindly  affectioned,  fervency  of  spirit,  hospitality,  diligence, 
blessing,  rejoicing,  &c.,  which  he  yet  numbers  forth  as  dif- 
26 


PROPOSITION  X. 


ferent  gifts  of  the  Spirit,  and  according  to  this  objection 

might  be  placed  as  distinct  and  separate  offices,  which 

were  most  absurd. 

Secondly,  In  these  very  places  mentioned   it  is  deai 

that  it  is  no  real  distinction  of  separate  offices ;  because 

all  acknowledge,  that  pastors  and  teachers,  whicl  tho 

apostle  there  no  less  separateth  and  distinguisheth,  .han 

pastors  and  prophets,  or  apostles,  are  one  and  the  same. 

and  coincide  in  the  same  office  and  person  ;  and  therefore 

Propliecy    may  be  said  so  of  the  rest.    For  prophecy  as  it  signifie.s 

syfng^ks'^"  ^''^  foretelling  of  things  to  come,  is  indeed  a  distinct  gift, 

twofold sig-  but  no  distinct  office  ;  and  therefore  our  adversaries  do 
aihcation.  .  •  i         -n  i 

not  place  it  among  their  several  orders:  neither  will  they 

deny,  but  that  it  both  may  be  and  hath  been  given  of  God 

to  some,  that  not  only  have  been  pastors  and  teachers,  and 

that  there  it  hath  coincided  in  one  person  with  these  othe/ 

offices,  but  also  to  some  of  t^e  laics :  and  so  it  hath  been 

found,  according  to  their  own  confession,  without  the 

I'o  prophe-  limits  of  their  clergy.  Prophecy  in  the  other  sense,  to  wit, 
sy,  a  privi-       ...  r      .  ^  71 

lege  of       as  it  signifies  a  speaking  from  the  Spirit  of  truth,  is  no| 

and°of  a?l  ^"'^  peculiar  to  pastors  and  teachers,  who  ought  so  t| 
the  saints,  prophesy ;  but  even  a  common  privilege  to  the  saints 
For  though  to  instruct,  teach  and  exhort,  be  proper  to  such 
as  are  more  particularly  called  to  the  work  of  the  ministry ; 
yet  it  is  not  so  proper  to  them,  as  not  to  be,  when  the 
saints  are  met  together,  as  any  of  them  are  moved  by  the 
Spirit,  common  to  others :  for  some  acts  belong  to  all  in 
such  a  relation  ;  but  not  only  to  those  within  that  relation  : 
Competunt  omni,  sed  non  soli.  Thus  to  see  and  hear  are 
proper  acts  of  a  man ;  seeing  it  may  be  properly  predi- 
cated of  him,  that  he  heareth  and  seeth :  yet  are  they 
common  to  other  creatures  also.  So  to  prophesy  in  this 
sense,  is  indeed  proper  to  ministers  and  teachers ;  yet  not 
so,  but  that  it  is  common  and  lawful  to  other  saints,  when 
moved  thereunto,  though  it  be  not  proper  to  them  by  way 
of  relation :  because,  notwith.standing  that  motion,  they 
are  not  particularly  called  to  the  work  of  the  ministry,  as 
appears  by  1  Cor.  xiv.,  where  the  apostle  at  large  declar- 


OF  THE  MINISTRY. 


303 


ing  the  order  and  ordinary  method  of  the  church,  saith, 
ver.  30,  31  ;  '<  But  if  any  thing  be  revealed  to  another  that 
sitteth  by,  let  the  first  hold  his  peace ;  for  ye  may  all  pro- 
phesy one  by  one,  that  all  may  learn,  and  all  be  com- 
forted :"  which  showeth  that  none  here  is  excluded.  But 
yet  that  there  is  a  subordination,  according  to  the  various 
measures  of  the  gift  received,  the  next  verse  showeth : 
<'  And  the  spirits  of  the  prophets  are  subject  to  the  pro- 
phets: for  God  is  not  the  author  of  confusion,  but  of 
peace."  Now  that  prophesying,  in  this  sense,  may  be 
common  to  all  saints,  appears  by  verse  39,  of  the  same 
chapter,  where  speaking  to  all  in  general,  he  saith,  "  Where- 
fore, brethren,  covet  to  prophesy  ;"  and  verse  1,  he  exhorts 
them,  saying,  "  Desire  spiritual  gifts,  but  rather  that  ye  may 
prophesy." 

Secondly,  As  to  evangelists  the  same  may  be  said  ;  for  Who  are 
whoever  preacheth  the  gospel  is  really  an  evangelist,  and  fjgf"?^" 
.so  consequently  every  true  minister  of  the  gospel  is  one  ;  and  ^he 
else  what  proper  office  can  they  assign  to  it,  unless  they  may^erm 
should  be  so  foolish  as  to  affirm  that  none  were  evangelists  ^0*^^,*^^'.*!* 
but  Matthew,  Mark,  Luke,  and  John,  who  wrote  the  day- 
account  of  Christ's  life  and  suffi?rings?  and  then  it  were 
neither  a  particular  office,  seeing  John  and  Matthew  were 
apostles,  Mark  and  Luke  pastors  and  teachers,  so  that  there 
they  coincided  in  one.    And  indeed  it  is  absurd  to  think, 
that  upon  that  particular  account  the  apostle  used  the  word 
evangelist.    Calvin  acknowledgeth,  that  such  as  preach 
the  gospel  in  purity,  after  some  time  of  apostasy,  may  be 
truly  called  evangelists,  and  therefore  saith,  that  there 
were  apostles  in  his  time  ;  and  hence  the  Protestants  at 
Jheir  first  coming  forth,  termed  themselves  evangelid,  or 
tvangelics. 

Lastly,  an  apostle^  if  we  look  to  the  etymology  of  the  Who  is  u 
word,  signifies  one  that  is  sent ;  and  in  respect  eveisy  true  apostle 
minister  is  sent  of  God,  in  so  far  he  is  an  apostle  ;  though 
the  twelve,  because  of  their  being  specially  sent  of  Christ, 
were  therefore  called  apostles  xaT  slo^h^,  or  per  eminen Ham, 
i.  e.,  by  v  ay  of  t'xccllency.   And  yet  that  there  was  no  limi- 


304 


PROPOSITION  X. 


l  liey  were  tation  to  such  a  number,  as  some  foolishly  imagine, 
to  such  a    appears,  because  after  that  number  was  fillevl  up,  the 
number.     apostle  Paul  was  afterwards  so  called;  therefore  we  judge 
that  these  are  no  distinct  separate  offices,  but  only  names 
used  upon  occasion  to  express  the  more  eminent  arising 
and  shining  forth  of  God's  grace.    As  if  any  minister  of 
Christ  should  now  proselyte  and  turn  a  whole  nation  to  the 
Whether    Christian  faith,  though  he  had  no  distinct  office,  yet  I  doubt 
caL'dan''^  not  but  both  Papists  and  Protestants  would  judge  it  toler- 
apostle  at    able  to  Call  such  an  one  an  apostle,  or  an  evanpelist :  for 

this  day.  ,  .  ,      r      •         ,i  r    ,    ■  i 

on  this  account  the  Jesuits  call  some  of  their  sect  apostles 
of  India  and  of  Japan  ;  and  Calvin  testifies  that  there 
were  apostles  and  evangelists  in  his  time,  in  respect  to  the 
Upon  what  reformation  ;  upon  which  account  also  we  have  known 
John" Knox  "^^^^^  ^"^'^         ^^^'^"^  ^^e  apostle  of  Scotland.    So  that 
was  called  we  conclude  that  ministers,  pastors,  or  teachers  do  com- 
oi  Scotland.  preheiid  all,  and  that  the  office  is  but  one,  and  therefore  in 
that  respect  we  judge  there  ought  to  be  no  precedency 
among  them :  to  prove  which  I  shall  not  here  insist,  seeing 
it  is  shown  largely,  and  treated  of  by  such  as  have  denied 
the  Diocesan  Episcopacy,  as  they  call  it. 
Ans.  1  §  XXVI.  As  to  the  first  part  of  the  objection,  viz..  That 

1  seem  to  make  no  distinction  betwixt  the  minister  and 
Liberty  to  people,  I  answer,  If  it  be  understood  of  a  liberty  to  speak 
au'^Kave'by  prophesy  by  the  Spirit,  I  say  all  may  do  that,  when 
the  Spirit,  moved  thereunto,  as  above  is  shown  ;  but  we  do  believe 
and  affirm  that  some  are  more  particularly  called  to  the 
work  of  the  ministry,  and  therefore  are  fitted  of  the  Lord 
for  that  purpose ;  whose  work  is  more  constantly  and  par- 
ticularly to  instruct,  exhort,  admonish,  oversee,  and  watch 
over  their  brethren  ;  and  that  as  there  is  something  more 
incumbent  upon  them  in  that  respect  than  upon  every 
common  believer,  so  also,  as  in  that  relation,  there  is  due 
to  them  from  the  flock  such  obedience  and  subjection  as  is 
mentioned  in  these  testimonies  of  the  scripture,  Heb.  xiii. 
17 ;  1  Thess.  v.  12,  13;  1  Tim.  v.  17 ;  1  Pet.  v.  5.  Also 
besides  these  who  are  thus  particularly  called  to  the  minis- 
try, and  constant  labour  in  the  word  and  doctrine,  there 


OF  THE  MINISTRy. 


308 


we  also  the  elders,  who  though  they  be  not  moved  to  a  The  eldew 
frequent  testimony  by  way  of  declaration  in  words,  yet  as  foMhe'wi 
such  are  grown  up  in  the  experience  of  the  blessed  work  dows,  the 

.  .  ,       .  poor,  and 

of  truth  m  their  hearts,  they  watch  over  and  privately  ad-  fathetlesa 

monish  the  young,  take  care  for  the  widows,  the  poor,  and 

fatherless,  and  look  that  nothing  be  wanting,  but  that 

peace,  love,  unity,  concord,  and  soundness  be  preserved 

in  the  church  of  Christ ;  and  this  answers  to  the  deacons 

mentioned  Acts  vi. 

That  which  we  oppose,  is  the  distinction  of  laity  and  The  dia- 

clergy,  which  in  the  scripture  is  not  to  be  found,  whereby  cie?gy  and 

none  are  admitted  unto  the  work  of  the  ministry  but  such  'aiiy  not  to 
,  ,  ,      ,  ,  .  be  tound  in 

as  are  educated  at  schools  on  purpose,  and  instructed  in  scripture. 

logic  and  philosophy,  &c.,  and  so  are  at  their  apprentice- 
ship to  learn  the  art  and  trade  of  preaching,  even  as  a  man 
learns  any  other  art,  whereby  all  other  honest  mechanic 
men,  who  have  not  got  this  heathenish  art,  are  excluded 
from  having  this  privilege.  And  so  he  that  is  a  scholar 
thus  bred  up  must  not  have  any  honest  trade  whereby  to 
get  him  a  livelihood,  if  he  once  intend  for  the  ministry,  but 
he  must  see  to  get  him  a  place,  and  then  he  hath  his  set 
hire  for  a  livelihood  to  him.  He  must  also  be  distinguished  Their  garb 
from  the  rest  by  the  colour  of  his  clothes  ;  for  he  must  only 
wear  black,  and  must  be  a  master  of  arts :  but  more  of  this 
hereafter. 

§  XXVII.  As  this  manner  of  separating  men  for  the 
ministry  is  nothing  like  the  church  in  the  apostles'  days,  so 
great  evils  have  and  do  follow  upon  it.  For  first.  Parents 
seeing  both  the  honour  and  profit  that  attends  the  clergy, 
do  allot  their  children  sometimes  from  their  infancy  to  it, 
ant!  so  breed  them  up  on  purpose.  And  others,  come  to 
age,  upon  the  same  account  betake  them  to  the  same  trade, 
and  having  these  natural  and  acquired  parts  that  are  judged 
the  necessary  qualifications  of  a  minister,  are  thereby  ad- 
mitted, and  so  are  bred  up  in  idleness  and  pleasure,  think- 
ing it  a  disgrace  for  them  to  work  with  their  hands ;  and 
so  just  study  a  little  out  of  their  books,  to  make  a  discourse 
nnce  or  twice  a  week  during  the  running  of  an  hour-glass 
26*  2n 


306 


PROPOSITION  X. 


The  cler  whercas  the  gift,  grace,  and  Spirit  of  God,  to  caH  aiid 
out^of'"'^^  qualify  for  the  ministry,  is  neglected  and  overlooked.  And 
gi*ft  oi'Cod  ™^"y  covetous,  corrupt,  earthly,  carnal  men,  having  a 
neglected,  mere  show  and  form,  but  strangers  to,  and  utterly  ignorant 
of,  the  inward  work  of  grace  upon  their  hi  arts,  are 
brought  in  and  intrude  themselves,  and  so  through  them 
♦  death,  barrenness,  and  darkness,  and  by  consequence, 

superstition,  error,  and  idolatry  have  entered  and  leavened 
the  church.  And  they  that  will  narrowly  observe,  shall 
find  that  it  was  thus  the  apostasy  came  to  take  place ;  ( f 
the  truth  of  which  I  could  give  many  examples,  which  for 
brevity's  sake  I  omit.  Thus  the  office,  reverence,  and 
respect  due  to  it  were  annexed  to  the  mere  name,  so  that 
when  once  a  man  was  ordained  a  bishop  or  a  priest,  he  was 
heard  and  believed,  though  he  had  nothing  of  the  Spirit, 
power,  and  life  that  the  true  apostles  and  ministers  were 
in.  And  thus  in  a  short  time  the  succession  came  to  be 
of  the  name  and  title,  and  the  office  was  thereto  annexed 
and  not  of  the  nature,  virtue,  and  life  ;  which  in  effeC 
made  them  to  cease  to  be  the  ministry  and  ministers  of 
Christ,  but  only  a  shadow  and  vain  image  of  it ;  whiclj 
also  decaying,  was  in  some  ages  so  metamorphosed,  that 
not  only  the  substance  was  lost,  but  the  very  form  wholly 
The  mar-  vitiated,  altered,  and  marred;  so  that  it  may  be  far  better 
compared'^o  ^^^^^  of  the  pretended  Christian  church,  as  was  disputed  of 
Theseus's  Theseus's  boat,  which  by  the  piecing  of  many  new  pieces 
piecedboat.  \v;,s  wholly  altered,  whether  indeed  it  were  the 

same  or  another.-'  But  in  case  that  the  first  had  been  of 
oak,  and  the  pieces  last  put  in  but  of  rotten  fir,  and  that 
also  the  form  had  been  so  far  changed  as  to  be  nothing 
like  the  first,  I  think  it  would  have  suffered  no  dispute,  but 
might  have  easily  been  concluded  to  be  quite  another, 
retaining  nothing  but  the  name,  and  that  also  unjustly. 
The  abuse  Secondly,  From  this  distinction  of  laity  and  clergy  this 
IhedTs'tinc-  ^^'^'i^^'  a'so  follows,  that  good,  honest,  mechanic  men,  and 

tionoflaiiy  others  who  have  not  learned  the  art  and  trade  of  preach- 
uid  clergy.  .  ,.        .       ,  ,.  ,  , 

ing,  and  so  are  not  licentiated  according  to  these  .ules 

they  prescribe  unto  themselves;  such,  I  say,  being  pes- 


OF  THE  MINISTRY. 


307 


St'ssed  with  a  false  opinion  that  it  is  not  lawful  for  them  to 
meddle  with  the  ministry,  nor  that  they  are  any  ways  fit 
for  it,  because  of  the  defect  of  that  literature,  do  thereby 
neglect  the  gift  in  themselves,  and  quench  many  times  the 
pure  breathings  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  their  hearts  ;  which, 
if  given  way  to,  might  prove  much  more  for  the  edification 
of  the  church  than  many  of  the  conned  sermons  of  the 
learned.  And  so  by  this  means  the  apostle's  command  ^ 
and  advice  is  slighted,  who  exhorteth,  1  Thess.  v.  19,  20, 
"not  to  quench  the  Spirit,  nor  despise  prophesy ings." 
And  all  this  is  done  by  men  pretending  to  be  Christians, 
who  glory  that  the  first  preachers  and  propagators  of  their 
religion  were  such  kind  of  plain  mechanic  men,  and  illi- 
terate. And  even  Protestants  do  no  less  than  Papists  Both  Pro- 
exclude  such  kind  of  men  from  being  ministers  among  Paptsuex? 
them,  and  thus  limit  the  Spirit  and  gift  of  God  ;  though 

.  .     ^  .  °  °    chanic  men 

their  Fathers,  in  opposition  to  Papists,  asserted  the  con-  from 

trary ;  and  also  their  own  histories  declare  how  that  kind  whogreafl) 

of  illiterate  men  did,  without  learning,  by  the  Spirit  of  contnbutef 

...  J  to  the  re- 

God,  greatly  contribute  in  divers  places  to  the  Reformation,  formation. 

By  this  it  may  appear,  that  as  in  calling  and  qualifying 

so  in  preaching  and  praying,  and  the  other  particular  steps 

of  the  ministry,  every  true  minister  is  to  know  the  Spirit 

of  God  by  its  virtue  and  life  to  accompany  and  assist  him  ; 

but  because  this  relates  to  worship,  I  shall  speak  of  it 

more  largely  in  the  next  proposition,  which  is  concerning 

worship. 

The  last  thing  to  be  considered  and  inquired  into  is, 
concerning  the  maintenance  of  a  gospel  minister ;  but  be- 
fore I  proceed,  I  judge  it  fit  to  speak  something  in  short 
concerning  the  preaching  of  women,  and  to  declare  what 
;fe  hold  in  that  matter. 

Seeing  male  and  female  are  one  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  that  Women's 
he  gives  his  Spirit  no  less  to  one  than  to  the  other,  when  pre'^aching 
God  moveth  by  his  Spirit  in  a  woman,  we  judge  it  noandpra^lnj 
ways  unlawful  for  her  to  preach  in  the  assemblies  of  God's 
people.    Neither  think  we  that  of  Paul,  1  Cor.  xiv.  34,  to 
reprove  the  inconsiderate  and  talkative  women  among  the 


PROPOSITION  X. 


Acta  xxi.  9. 


QcES.  4. 
Ministers' 
mainte- 
nance. 


The  minis- 
ters' food 
and  tiieir 
mainte- 
nance 
stated. 


1. 

Against 
constrain 
ed  main  e- 
nance. 


Corinthians,  who  troubled  the  church  of  Christ  with  then 
unprofitable  questions,  or  that,  1  Tim.  ii.  11,  12,  that 
"  women  ought  to  learn  in  silence,  not  usurping  authority 
over  the  man,"  any  ways  repugnant  to  this  doctrine  ;  be- 
cause it  is  clear  that  women  have  prophesied  and  preached 
in  the  church,  else  had  that  saying  of  Joel  been  ill  applied 
by  Peter,  Acts  ii.  17.  And  seeing  Paul  himself,  in  the 
same  epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  giveth  rules  how  woirer 
should  behave  themselves  in  their  public  preaching  snd 
praying,  it  would  be  a  manifest  contradiction,  if  that  other 
place  were  taken  in  a  larger  sense.  And  the  same  Paul 
speaks  of  a  woman  that  laboured  with  him  in  the  work  of 
the  gospel :  and  it  is  written  that  Philip  had  four  daughters 
that  prophesied.  And  lastly.  It  hath  been  observed,  that 
God  hath  eflfectually  in  this  day  converted  many  souls  by 
the  ministry  of  women  ;  and  by  them  also  frequently  com- 
forted the  souls  of  his  children  ;  which  manifest  experience 
puts  the  thing  beyond  all  controversy.  But  now  I  shall 
proceed  to  speak  of  the  maintenance  of  ministers. 

§  XXVIII.  We  freely  acknowledge,  as  the  proposition 
holds  forth,  that  there  is  an  obligation  upon  such  to  whom 
God  sends,  or  among  whom  he  raiseth  up  a  minister,  that, 
if  need  be,  they  minister  to  his  necessities.  Secondly, 
That  it  is  lawful  for  him  to  receive  what  is  necessary  and 
convenient.  To  prove  this  I  need  not  insist,  for  our  ad- 
versaries will  readily  grant  it  to  us ;  for  the  thing  we  affirm 
is,  that  this  is  all  that  these  scripture  testimonies  relating 
to  this  thing  do  grant,  Gal.  vi.  6  ;  1  Cor.  ix.  11,  12,  13, 
14 ;  I  Tim.  v.  18.  That  which  we  then  oppose  in  this 
matter  is.  First,  That  it  should  be  constrained  and  limited. 
Secondly,  That  it  should  be  superfluous,  chargeable,  and 
sumptuous.  And  Thirdly,  The  manifest  abuse  thereof.,  of 
which  I  shall  also  briefly  treat. 

As  to  the  First,  our  adversaries  are  forced  to  recur  to' the 
example  of  the  law  ;  a  refuge  they  use  in  defending  most 
of  their  errors  and  superstitions,  which  are  contrary  to  the 
nature  and  purity  of  the  gospel. 

They  say,  God  appointed  the  Levites  the  tithes,  there 


OF  THK  MINISTRY. 


309 


fore  they  belong  also  to  such  as  minister  ii.  holy  things  ^bjlct. 
under  the  gospel. 

I  answer,  All  that  can  be  gathered  from  this  is,  that  as  Ans. 
the  priests  had  a  maintenance  allowed  them  under  the  law, 
so  also  the  ministers  and  preachers  under  the  gospel,  which  Tithes 
is  not  denied  ;  but  the  comparison  will  not  hold  that  they  pjiiuedfoi 
should  have  the  very  same :  since.  First,  There  is  no  ex-  , 

•'  .  .  .  vitcs,  not 

press  gospel  command  for  it,  neither  by  Christ  nor  his  lor  gospel 
apostles.  Secondly,  The  parity  doth  no  ways  hold  betwixt 
the  Levites  under  the  law,  and  the  preachers  under  the 
gospel ;  because  the  Levites  were  one  of  the  tribes  of 
Israel,  and  so  had  a  right  to  a  part  of  the  inheritance  of  the 
land  as  well  as  the  rest  of  their  brethren  ;  and  having  none, 
had  this  allotted  to  them  in  lieu  of  it.  Next,  The  tenth  of 
the  tithes  was  only  allowed  to  the  priests  that  served  at  the 
altar,  the  rest  being  for  the  Levites,  and  also  to  be  put  up 
in  store-houses,  for  entertaining  of  widows  and  strangers. 
But  these  preachers,  notwithstanding  they  inherit  what  they 
have  by  their  parents,  as  well  as  other  men,  yet  claim  the 
whole  tithes,  allowing  nothing  either  to  widow  or  stranger. 
But  as  to  the  tithes  I  shall  not  insist,  because  divers  others 
have  clearly  and  learnedly  treated  of  them  apart,  and  also 
divers  Protestants  do  confess  them  not  to  be  ju7-e  divino ; 
and  the  parity  as  to  the  quota  doth  not  hold,  but  only  in 
general  as  to  the  obligation  of  a  maintenance  ;  which  main- 
tenance, though  the  hearers  be  obliged  to  give,  and  fail  of 
their  duty  if  they  do  not,  yet  that  it  ought  neither  to  be 
stinted,  nor  yet  forced,  I  prove  ;  because  Christ,  when  he  Reason  1. 
sent  forth  his  apostles,  said,  "Freely  ye  have  received.  The  gospel 
freely  give,"  Mat.  x.  8,  and  yet  they  had  liberty  to  receive  ^^'ellhed" 
meat  and  drink  from  such  as  offered  them,  to  supply  their  without  so 
aet  d.    Which  shows  that  they  were  not  to  seek  or  require  year, 
anything  by  force,  or  to  stint,  or  make  a  bargain  before- 
hand, as  the  preachers  as  well  among  Papists  as  Protestants 
do  in  these  days,  who  will  not  preach  to  any  until  they  be 
first  sure  of  so  much  a  year ;  but  on  the  contrary,  these 
were  to  do  their  duty,  and  freely  to  communicate,  as  the 


310 


PROPOSITION  X. 


Lord  should  order  them,  what  they  had  received,  withoiu 

seeking  or  expecting  a  reward. 
Nic.  Ar-        The  answer  given  to  this  by  Nicolaus  Arnoldus,  Exercit. 
answer 'to    Theolog.  Sect.  42,  43,  is  not  to  be  forgotten,  but  indeed 
'  Ireely  ye  (q      kept  upon  record  for  a  perpetual  remembrance  of  him 

nave  re-  .  r  i 

ceived,'  and  his  brethren  ;  for  he  frankly  answers  after  this  manner, 
We  have  not  freely  received,  and  therefore  are  not  bound 
to  give  freely.  The  answer  I  confess  is  ingenuous  and 
good  ;  for  if  those  that  receive  freely  are  to  give  freely,  it 
would  seem  to  follow  by  the  rule  of  contraries,  that  those 
that  receive  not  freely  ought  not  to  give  freely,  and  I  shall 
grant  it ;  only  they  must  grant  me,  that  they  preach  not  by 
and  according  to  the  gift  and  grace  of  God  received,  nor 
can  they  be  good  stewards  of  the  manifold  grace  of  God, 
as  every  true  minister  ought  to  be  ;  or  else  they  have  gotten 
Simon  Ma-  this  gift  or  grace  by  money,  as  Simon  Magus  would  have 
been  compassing  it,  since  they  think  themselves  not  bound 
to  give  it  without  money  again.  But  to  be  plain,  I  believe 
he  intended  not  that  it  was  from  the  gift  or  grace  of  God 
they  were  to  preach,  but  from  their  acquired  arts  and  stu- 
dies, which  have  cost  them  much  labour  and  also  some 
money  at  tlie  university  ;  and  therefore,  as  he  that  puts  his 
stock  into  the  public  bank  expects  interest  again,  so  these 
scholars,  having  spent  some  money  in  learning  the  art  of 
preaching,  think  they  may  boldly  say  they  have  it  not 
freely  ;  for  it  hath  cost  them  both  money  and  pains,  and 
therefore  they  expect  both  money  and  ease  again.  And 
therefore,  as  Arnoldus  gets  money  for  teaching  his  young 
students  the  art  and  trade  of  preaching,  so  he  intends  they 
should  be  repaid  before  they  give  it  again  to  others.  It 
All  things  was  of  old  said,  Omnia  venalia  Roma;,  i.  e.,  <  All  things 
sale^at '°    ^"^^  ^^^^     I^ome ;'  but  now  the  same  proverb  may 

Rome,  to        applied  to  Franequer.     And  therefore  Arnoldus's  stu- 

Franequer     ,  ,         ,  ,      ,  ,  i  i  i 

»pplie(\.      dents,  when  they  go  about  to  preach,  may  sately  seek  and 

require  hereby,  telling  their  hearers  their  master's  maxirn, 

JVbs  gratis  non  accepim,us,  ergo  neque  gratis  dare  tenemur. 

But  then  they  may  answer  again.  That  they  find  them  and 

ilieir  master  to  be  none  of  his  ministers,  who  when  he  sent 


OF  THE  MINISTRY. 


311 


fr./th  his  disciples,  gave  them  this  command,  "  Freely  ye 

have  received,  freely  give,"  and  therefore  we  will  have 

none  of  your  teaching,  because  we  perceive  you  to  be  of 

the  number  of  those  "  that  look  for  their  gain  from  their  isai.  Ivi  ll 

quarter." 

§  XXIX.  Secondly,  The  scripture  testimonies  that  urge  Reason  II. 
this  are  in  the  same  nature  of  those  that  press  charity  and  Mere  vo- 
liberality  towards  the  poor,  and  command  hospitality,  &c.,  Jje'gjg'^ng 
but  these  are  not  nor  can  be  stinted  to  a  certain  quantity,  '"fn  can 
because  they  are  deeds  merely  voluntary,  where  the  obe- 
dience to  the  command  lieth  in  the  good  will  of  the  giver, 
and  not  in  the  matter  of  the  thing  given,  as  Christ  showeth 
in  the  example  of  the  widow's  mite.   So  tliat  though  there 
be  an  obligation  upon  Christians  to  minister  of  outward 
things  to  their  ministers,  yet  there  can  be  no  definition  of 
the  quantity  but  by  the  giver's  own  consent,  and  a  little 
from  one  may  more  truly  fulfil  the  obligation  than  a  great 
deal  from  another.    And  therefore  as  acts  of  charity  and 
hospitality  can  neither  be  limited  nor  forced,  so  neither  can 
this. 

If  it  be  objected,  That  ministers  may  and  ought  to  ex-  Objsot. 
hort,  persuade,  yea  and  earnestly  press  Christians,  if  they 
find  them  defective  therein,  to  acts  of  charity  and  hospi- 
tality, and  so  may  they  do  also  to  the  giving  of  mainte- 
nance ; 

I  answer.  All  this  saith  nothing  for  a  stinted  and  forced  Answ, 
maintenance,  for  which  there  cannot  so  much  as  the  show 
of  one  solid  argument  be  brought  from  scripture.    I  con- 
fess ministers  may  use  exhortation  in  this  as  much  as  in 
any  other  case,  even  as  the  apostle  did  to  the  Corinthians,  Paul's  la 
showing  them  their  duty  ;  but  it  were  fit  for  ministers  that  I]""t'^,he' 
so  do  (that  their  testimony  might  have  the  more  weight,  gospel 
and  be  the  freer  of  all  suspicion  of  covetousness  and  self-  wifhou't* 
interest)  that  they  might  be  able  to  say  truly  in  the  sight  of 
God  that  which  the  same  apostle  subjoins  upon  the  same 
occasion,  1  Cor.  ix.  15,  16.  17,  18:  "But  I  have  used 
none  of  these  things ;  nehher  have  I  written  these  things, 
that  it  should  be  so  done  unto  me :  for  it  were  better  for 


312 


PROPOSITION  X. 


me  to  (lie,  than  that  any  man  shonld  make  my  gloiyin^ 
void.  For  though  I  preach  the  gospel,  I  have  nothing  to 
glory  of;  for  necessity  is  laid  upon  me,  yea  woe  is  unto 
me  if  I  preach  not  the  gospel.  For  if  I  do  this  thing  wil- 
lingly, I  have  a  reward  ;  but  if  against  my  will,  a  dispen- 
sation of  tlie  gospel  is  committed  unto  me.  What  is  my 
reward  then  ?  Verily  that  when  I  preach  the  gospel,  I  may 
make  the  gospel  of  Christ  without  charge,  that  I  abuse  not 
my  power  in  the  gospel." 

Thirdly,  As  there  is  neither  precept  nor  example  for  this 
forced  and  stinted  maintenance  in  the  scripture,  so  the 
apostle,  in  his  solemn  farewell  to  the  pastors  and  elders  of 
the  church  of  Ephesus,  guards  them  against  it,  Acts  xx. 
33,  34,  35.  But  if  the  thing  had  been  either  lawful  or 
practised,  he  would  rather  have  exhorted  them  to  be  con- 
tent with  their  stinted  hire,  and  not  to  covet  more  ;  whereas 
he  showeth  them,  first,  by  his  own  example,  that  they  were 
not  to  covet  or  expect  any  man's  silver  or  gold  ;  secondly, 
that  they  ought  to  work  with  their  hands  for  an  honest 
livelihood,  as  he  had  done  ;  and  lastly,  he  exhorts  them  so 
to  do  from  the  words  of  Christ,  "  because  it  is  a  more 
blessed  thing  to  give  than  to  receive  ;"  showing  that  it  is 
so  far  from  a  thing  that  a  true  minister  ought  to  aim  at,  Oi 
expect,  that  it  is  rather  a  burden  to  a  true  minister,  and 
cross  to  him,  to  be  reduced  to  the  necessity  of  want- 
ing it. 

§  XXX.  Fourthly,  If  a  forced  and  stinted  maintenance 
were  to  be  supposed,  it  would  make  the  ministers  of  Christ 
just  one  with  those  hirelings  whom  the  prophets  cried  out 
against.  For  certainly  if  a  man  make  a  bargain  to  preach 
to  people  for  so  much  a  year,  so  as  to  refuse  to  preach 
unless  he  have  it,  and  seek  to  force  the  people  to  give  it 
by  violence,  it  cannot  be  denied  that  such  a  one  preacheth 
Mich.  iii. 5.  for  hire,  and  so  "looks  for  his  gain  from  his  quarter,"  yea 
and  "  prepares  war  against  such  as  put  not  into  his  mc  uth ;" 
but  this  is  the  particular  special  mark  of  a  false  prophet 
and  an  hireling,  and  therefore  can  no  ways  belong  to  a 
true  minister  of  Christ. 


Paul  covet- 
ed no  bo- 
dy's silver 
or  gold. 


Reasoij  4. 


1^0  hireling 
fitting  the 
gospel  of 
Christ. 


OF  THE  MINISTRY. 


313 


Next,  that  a  superfluous  maintenance,  that  is,  more  than  Moderate 
in  reason  is  needful,  ought  not  to  be  received  by  Chiistian  fnd  Papists 
ministers,  will  not  need  much  proof,  seeing  the  more  exclaim 

'  .  ,  against  the 

moderate  and  sober,  both  among  Papists  and  Protestants,  excess  of 
readily  confess  it,  who  with  one  voice  exclaim  against  the  I-eve'nues!' ' 
excessive  revenues  of  the  clergy ;  and  that  it  may  not 
".vant  a  proof  from  scripture,  what  can  be  more  plain  than 
that  of  the  apostle  to  Timothy  ?  1  Tim.  vi.  7,  8,  9,  10,  11, 
where  he  both  shows  wherewith  we  ought  to  be  content, 
and  also  the  hazard  of  such  as  look  after  more  ;  and 
indeed,  since  that  very  obligation  of  giving  maintenance 
to  a  minister  is  founded  upon  their  need,  and  such  as  have 
opportunity  to  work  are  commended  rather  in  not  receiv- 
ing than  in  receiving,  it  can  no  ways  be  supposed  lawful 
for  them  to  receive  more  than  is  sufficient.  And  indeed, 
were  they  truly  pious  and  right,  though  necessitous,  they 
would  rather  incline  to  take  too  little,  than  be  gaping  after 
too  much. 

§  XXXI.  Now  that  there  is  great  excess  and  abuse  II. 

hereof  among  Christians,  the  vast  revenues  which  the  of  the*'*** 

bishops  and  priests  have,  both  Papists  and  Protestants,  do  PP^sts  and 
1^  r  3  r   _  '       bishops  r»- 

declare  ;  since  I  judge  it  may  be  said  without  any  hyper-  venues, 
bole,  that  some  particular  persons  have  more  paid  them 
yearly  than  Christ  and  his  apostles  made  use  of  in  their 
whole  lifetime,  who  yet  wanted  not  what  was  needful  as  to 
the  outward  man,  and  no  doubt  deserved  it  far  better  than 
those  that  enjoy  that  fulness.  But  it  is  manifest  these 
bishops  and  priests  love  their  fat  benefices,  and  the  plea- 
sure and  honour  that  attends  them,  so  well,  that  they  pur- 
pose neither  to  follow  Christ  nor  his  apostles'  example  or 
advice  in  this  matter. 

But  it  is  usually  objected,  That  Christians  are 'become  Objict. 
so  hard-hearted,  and  generally  so  little  heed  spiritual  things, 
that  if  ministers  had  not  a  settled  and  stinted  maintenance 
secured  them  by  law,  they  and  their  families  might  starve 
for  want  of  bread. 

I  an.^wer.  This  objection  might  have  some  weight  as  to  -Answ 
u  carnai  ministry,  made  up  of  natural  men,  who  have  no 
27  2p 


314 


PROPOSITION  X. 


They  want- 
ed nothing 
whom  God 
sent ;  they 
laboured 
with  their 
hands. 


Object. 


Answ. 


life,  power,  nor  virtue  with  them,  and  so  may  insinuate 
some  need  of  such  a  maintenance  for  such  a  ministry ;  but 
it  saith  nothing  as  to  such  as  are  called  and  sent  of  God, 
who  sends  no  man  a  wayfaring  upon  his  own  charges  ;  and 
so  go  forth  in  the  authority  and  power  of  God,  to  turn 
people  from  darkness  to  light ;  for  such  can  trust  to  him 
that  sendeth  them,  and  do  believe  that  he  will  provide  for 
them,  knowing  that  he  requireth  nothing  of  any  but  what 
he  giveth  power  to  perform  ;  and  so  when  they  return,  if 
he  inquire,  can  say  they  wanted  nothing.  And  such  also 
when  they  stay  in  a  place,  being  immediately  furnished  by 
God,  and  not  needing  to  borrow  and  steal  what  they 
preach  from  books,  and  take  up  their  time  that  way,  fall 
a  working  at  their  lawful  employments  and  labour  with 
their  hands,  as  Paul  did  when  he  gathered  the  church  at 
Corinth.  And  indeed  if  this  objection  had  any  weight, 
the  apostles  and  primitive  pastors  should  never  have  gone 
forth  to  convert  the  nations,  for  fear  of  want.  Doth  not 
the  doctrine  of  Christ  teach  us  to  venture  all,  and  part  with 
all,  to  serve  God  Can  they  then  be  accounted  ministers 
of  Christ  who  are  afraid  to  preach  him  lest  they  get  not 
money  for  it,  or  will  not  do  it  until  they  be  sure  of  their 
payment  ?  What  serves  the  ministry  for  but  to  perfect 
the  saints,  and  so  to  convert  them  from  that  hard-hearted- 


ness .'' 


Mat.  X.  14. 
If  they  re- 
ject thy  tes 
timoiiy, 
ehalie  the 
dust  from 
off  thy  feet 


But  thou  wilt  say,  I  have  laboured  and  preached  to 
them,  and  they  are  hard-hearted  still,  and  will  not  give  me 
any  thing : 

Then  surely  thou  hast  either  not  been  sent  to  them  of 
God,  and  so  thy  ministry  and  preaching  hath  not  been 
among  them  in  the  power,  virtue,  and  life  of  Christ,  and 
so  thou  deservest  nothing ;  or  else  they  have  rejected  thy 
testimony,  and  so  are  not  worthy,  and  from  such  thou 
oughtest  not  to  expect,  yea  nor  yet  receive  any  thing,  if 
they  would  give  thee,  but  thou  oughtest  to  <<  shake  off  the 
dust  from  tiiy  feet,"  and  leave  them.  And  how  frivolous 
this  objection  is,  appears,  in  that  in  the  darkest  and  most 
superstitious  times  the  priests'  revenues  increased  most,  and 


OF  THE  MINISTRV. 


315 


they  were  most  richly  rewarded,  though  they  deserved 
least.  So  that  he  that  is  truly  sent  of  God,  as  he  needs 
not,  so  neither  will  he  be  afraid  of  want,  so  long  as  he 
serves  so  good  a  master ;  neither  will  he  ever  forbear  to 
do  his  work  for  that  cause.  And  indeed  such  as  make 
this  objection  show  truly  that  they  serve  not  the  Lord 
Christ,  but  their  own  belly,  and  that  makes  them  so  anxious 
for  want  of  food  to  it. 

§  XXXII.  But  lastly,  As  to  the  abuses  of  this  kind  of  Th3maiiy 
maintenance,  indeed  he  that  would  go  through  them  all,  priesm' 
thoutrh  he  did  it  passingly,  might  make  of  it  alone  a  huge  mainte- 

o  r         b  J  J       &  .  °  nance 

volume,  they  are  so  great  and  numerous.  For  this  abuse,  brings, 
as  others,  crept  in  with  the  apostasy,  there  being  nothing 
of  this  in  the  primitive  times :  then  the  ministers  claimed 
no  tithes,  neither  sought  they  a  stinted  or  forced  mainte- 
nance ;  but  such  as  wanted  had  their  necessity  supplied  by 
the  church,  and  others  wrought  with  their  hands.  But  the 
persecutions  being  over,  and  the  emperors  and  princes 
coming  under  the  name  of  Christians,  the  zeal  of  those 
great  men  was  quickly  abused  by  the  covetousness  of  the 
clergy,  who  soon  learned  to  change  their  cottages  with  the 
palaces  of  princes,  and  rested  not  until  by  degrees  some 
of  them  came  to  be  princes  themselves,  nothing  inferior  to 
them  in  splendour,  luxury,  and  magnificence  ;  a  method 
of  living  that  honest  Peter  and  John  the  fishermen,  and 
Paul  the  tent-maker,  never  coveted  ;  and  perhaps  as  little 
imagined  that  men  pretending  to  be  their  successors  should 
have  arrived  to  these  things.  And  so  soon  as  the  bishops 
were  thus  seated  and  constituted,  forgetting  the  life  and 
work  of  a  Christian,  they  went  usually  by  the  ears  together 
about  the  precedency  and  revenues,  each  coveting  the 
chiefest  and  fattest  benefice.  It  is  also  to  be  regretted  to 
think  how  soon  this  mischief  crept  in  among  Protestants,  The  Pro- 
who  had  scarce  well  appeared  when  the  clergy  among  them  hJfvhlg^r 
began  to  speak  at  the  old  rate,  and  show  that  though  they  'he 

o  J  pope,  yet 

liad  forsaken  the  bishop  of  Rome,  they  were  not  resolved  would  no. 
t(i  part  with  their  old  b.nefi';es  ;  and  therefore  so  soon  as  ["ch^popish 
ai.}  pnnres  or  states  shook  off  the  pope's  authority,  and  revenues. 


316 


PROPOSITION  X. 


SO  demolished  the  abbeys,  nunneries,  and  other  inoi\uinents 
of  superstition,  the  reformed  clergy  began  presently  to  cry 
out  to  the  magistrates  to  beware  of  meddling  with  the 
church's  patrimony,  severely  exclaiming  against  making  a 
lawful  use  of  those  vast  revenues  that  had  been  supersti- 
tiously  bestowed  upon  the  church,  so  called,  to  the  good 
and  benefit  of  the  commonwealth,  as  no  less  than  sacrilege, 
1. Tlieclei-  But  by  keeping  up  of  this  kind  of  maintenance  for  the 
ousness^'  ministry  and  clergymen,  so  called,  there  is  first  a  bait  ild 
for  covetousness,  which  is  idolatry,  and  of  all  things  most 
hurtful ;  so  that  for  covetousness'  sake,  many,  being  led 
by  the  desire  of  filthy  lucre,  do  apply  themselves  to  be 
ministers,  that  they  may  get  a  livelihood  by  it.  If  a  man 
have  several  children,  he  will  allot  one  of  them  to  be  a 
minister  ;  which  if  he  can  get  him  to  be,  he  reckons  it  as 
good  as  a  patrimony :  so  that  a  fat  benefice  hath  always 
many  expectants ;  and  then  what  bribing,  what  courting, 
what  industry,  and  shameful  actions  are  used  to  acquire 
these  things,  is  too  openly  known,  and  needs  not  to  be 
proved. 

The  scandal  that  by  these  means  is  raised  among  Chris- 
tians is  so  manifest,  that  it  is  become  a  proverb,  that  the 
The  greedy  kirk  is  always  greedy.  Whereby  the  gift  and  grace  of  God 
rerb  ^^"^^  being  neglected,  they  have  for  the  most  part  no  other  mo- 
tive or  rule  in  applying  themselves  to  one  church  more 
than  another  but  the  greater  benefice.  For  though  they 
hypocritically  pretend,  at  their  accepting  of  and  entering 
into  their  church,  that  they  have  nothing  before  them  but 
the  glory  of  God  and  the  salvation  of  souls  ;  yet  if  a  richer 
benefice  offer  itself,  they  presently  find  it  more  for  God's 
glory  to  remove  from  the  first,  and  go  thither.  And  thus 
they  make  no  difficulty  often  to  change,  while  notwith- 
standing they  accuse  us  that  we  allow  ministers  to  go  from 
place  to  place,  and  not  to  be  tied  to  one  place  ;  but  we 
allow  this  not  for  the  gaining  of  money,  but  as  moved  of 
God,  For  if  a  minister  be  called  to  minister  in  a  particulai 
place,  he  ought  not  tr  leave  it,  except  God  call  him  from 
It,  and  then  he  ought  to  obey :  for  we  make  the  will  of 


OF  THE  MINISTRY. 


31"} 


God  inwardly  revealed,  and  not  the  love  of  money  and 
more  gain,  the  ground  of  rimoving. 

Secondly,  From  this  abuse  hath  proceeded  that  luxury  2.  The  cl«i 
ind  idleness  that  most  of  the  clergy  live  in,  even  among  " 
Protestants  as  well  as  Papists,  to  the  great  scandal  of 
Christianity.  For  not  having  lawful  trades  to  work  with 
their  hands,  and  being  so  superfluously  and  sumptuously 
provided  for,  they  live  in  idleness  and  luxury ;  and  there 
doth  more  pride,  vanity,  and  worldly  glory  appear  in  their 
v/ives  and  children  than  in  most  others,  which  is  open  and 
evident  to  all. 

Thirdly,  They  become  hereby  so  glued  to  the  love  of  3.  Thecler 

money,  that  there  is  none  like  them  in  malice,  rage,  and  SV^""* 

cruelty.    If  they  be  denied  their  hire,  they  rage  like 

drunken  men,  fret,  fume,  and  as  it  were  go  mad.    A  man 

may  sooner  satisfy  the  severest  creditor  than  them  ;  the 

general  voice  of  the  poor  doth  confirm  this.    For  indeed 

they  are  far  more  exact  in  taking  up  the  tithes  of  sheep, 

geese,  swine,  and  eggs,  &c.,  and  look  more  narrowly  to  it 

than  to  the  members  of  their  flock :  they  will  not  miss  the 

least  mite;  and  the  poorest  widow  cannot  escape  their  Poor wi- 

1-1         -11  1  I    dow's  mite 

avaricious  hands.    1  wenty  lies  they  will  hear  unreproved  ;  cannot 

and  as  many  oaths  a  man  may  swear  in  their  hearing  with-  prfj'g'jg"'''* 

out  offending  them  ;  and  greater  evils  than  all  this  they  greedy 

can  overlook.    But  if  thou  owest  them  aught,  and  refusest 

to  pay  it,  then  nothing  but  war  will  they  thunder  against 

thee,  and  they  will  stigmatize  thee  with  the  horrible  title 

of  sacrilege,  and  send  thee  to  hell  without  mercy,  as  if 

thou  hadst  committed  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost.  Of 

all  people  we  can  best  bear  witness  to  this ;  for  God  hav-  The  work 

,  .  .  .....         .  .  of  Anti- 

ing  shown  us  tl  is  corrupt  and  antichristian  ministry,  and  christ  is 
called  us  out  from  it,  and  gathered  us  unto  his  own  power  Hja^ic^"'^ 
and  life,  to  be  a  separate  people,  so  that  we  dare  not  join 
with,  nor  hear  these  anti-christian  hirelings,  neither  yet  put 
into  their  mouths  or  feed  thein  ;  oh  !  what  malice,  envy, 
and  fury  hath  this  raised  in  their  hearts  against  us!  That 
(hough  we  get  none  of  their  wares,  nehher  will  buy  them, 
as  knowing  them  to  \  e  naught,  yet  will  they  force  us  to 
27* 


318 


PROPOSITION  X. 


give  them  money :  and  because  we  cannot  for  conscleiice 
sake  do  it,  our  sufferings  have  upon  tliat  account  been  un- 
utterable.    Yea,  to  give  account  of  their  cruelty,  and 
several  sorts  of  inhumanity  used  against  us,  would  make 
no  small  history.    These  avaricious  hirelings  have  come  to 
that  degree  of  malice  and  rage,  that  several  poor  labouring 
men  have  been  carried  hundreds  of  miles  from  their  own 
dwellings,  and  shut  up  in  prison,  some  two,  some  three, 
yea,  some  seven  years  together,  for  the  value  of  one  pound 
A  widow    sterling,  and  less.    I  know  myself  a  poor  widow,  that  for 
oTgee^e"'"'  ^'''^  tithes  of  her  geese,  which  amounted  not  to  five  shillings, 
about  four   ^as  about  four  years  kept  in  prison,  thirty  miles  from  her 
prison.       house.    Yea,  they  by  violence  for  this  cause  have  plun- 
dered of  men's  goods  the  hundred-fold,  and  prejudiced 
much  more  ;  yea,  hundreds  have  hereby  spilt  their  inno- 
cent blood,  by  dying  in  the  filthy  noisome  holes  and  pri- 
Some  lost   sons.    And  some  of  the  priests  have  been  so  enraged,  that 
in^nasty^^   goods  thus  ravished  could  not  satisfy  them,  but  they  must 
holes.some  also  Satisfy  their  fury  by  beating,  knocking,  and  wounding 

woundedby  ,     •  .        °         ,  r         r  ■ 

the  priests,  With  their  hands  innocent  men  and  women,  tor  refusing, 
for  conscience'  sake,  to  put  into  their  mouths. 

The  only  way  then  soundly  to  reform  and  remove  all 
these  abuses,  and  take  away  the  ground  and  occasion  of 
them,  is,  to  take  away  all  stinted  and  forced  maintenance 
and  stipends.  And  seeing  those  things  were  anciently 
given  by  the  people,  that  they  return  again  into  the  public 
treasure  ;  and  thereby  the  people  may  be  greatly  benefited 
by  them,  for  that  they  may  supply  for  those  public  taxa- 
tions and  impositions,  that  are  put  upon  them,  and  may 
Whoso  ease  themselves  of  them.  And  whoever  call  or  appoint 
heap  toach- themselves,  let  them  accordingly  entertain 

ers  tothem-  '  . 

selves,  let  them  :  and  for  such  as  are  called  and  moved  to  the  minis- 
vide'the?r  try  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  those  that  receive  them,  and  taste 
!ti|«nd.  jj^p  good  of  their  ministry,  will  no  doubt  provide  things 

needful  for  them,  and  there  will  be  no  need  of  a  law  to 
force  a  hire  for  them  :  for  he  that  sends  them,  will  take 
care  for  them  ;  and  they  also,  having  food  and  raiment, 
will  therewith  be  content. 


OF  THK  MINISTRY. 


§  XXXIII.  The  sum  then  of  what  is  said  is,  That  the  Tie  differ- 
ministry  that  we  have  pleaded  for,  and  which  also  the  Lord  f™'^n^he 
hath  raised  up  amonfr  us  is,  in  all  its  parts,  like  the  true  mi'i'stry  oi 

°  the  Qua- 

ministry  of  the  apostles  and  primitive  church.    Whereas  kers  and 
the  ministry  our  adversaries  seek  to  uphold  and  plead  for,  saries"^^'^'^ 
as  it  doth  in  all  its  parts  differ  from  them,  so,  on  the  other 
hand,  it  is  very  like  the  false  prophets  and  teachers  testified 
against  and  condemned  in  the  scripture,  as  may  be  thus 
briefly  illustrated : 

I.  The  ministry  and  ministers  we  plead  for,  are  such  as  The  true 
are  immediately  called  and  sent  forth  by  Christ  and  his  ^j"'*'^"^^ 
Spirit  unto  the  work  of  the  ministry :  so  were  the  holy 
apostles  and  prophets,  as  appears  by  these  places,  Mat.  x. 
],  5;  Eph.  iv.  11  ;  Heb.  v.  4. 

1.  But  the  ministry  and  ministers  our  opposers  plead 
for,  are  such  as  have  no  immediate  call  from  Christ,  to 
whom  the  leading  and  motion  of  the  Spirit  is  not  reckoned 
necessary;  out  who  are  called,  sent  forth,  and  ordained 
by  wicked  and  ungodly  men  :  such  were  of  old  the  false 
prophets  and  teachers,  as  appears  by  these  places,  Jer.  xiv. 
14,  15;  item,  chap,  xxiii.  21,  and  xxvii.  15. 

II.  The  ministers  we  plead  for,  are  such  as  are  actuated  Truemin- 
and  led  by  God's  Spirit,  and  by  the  power  and  operation  gufjg. 

of  his  grace  in  their  hearts,  are  in  some  measure  converted 
and  regenerate,  and  so  are  good,  holy,  and  gracious  men: 
such  were  the  holy  prophets  and  apostles,  as  appears  from 

I  Tim.  iii.  2,  3,  4,  5,  6  ;  Tit.  i.  7,  8,  9. 

2.  But  the  ministers  our  adversaries  plead  for,  are  such 
to  whom  the  grace  of  God  is  no  needful  qualification  ;  and 
so  may  be  true  ministers,  according  to  them,  though  they 
be  ungodly,  unholy,  and  profligate  men:  such  were  the 
false  prophets  and  apostles,  as  appears  from  Mic.  iii.  5, 

II  ;  1  Tim.  vi.  5,  6,  7,  8,  &.c. ;  2  Tim.  iii.  2;  2  Pet.  ii. 
1,2,3. 

III.  The  ministers  we  plead  for,  are  such  as  act,  move,  Truemin 
find  labour  in  the  work  of  the  ministry,  not  from  their  own  wo*", 
mere  natural  strength  and  ability,  but  as  they  are  actuated, 
moved,  supported,  assisted  and  influenced  by  the  Spirit  of 


820 


PROPOSITION  X. 


God,  and  minister  according  to  tlie  gift  received,  as  gooc 
stewards  of  the  manifold  grace  of  God:  such  were  the  holy 
prophets  and  apostles,  1  Pet.  iv.  10,  11  ;  1  Cor.  i.  17,  ii. 
3,  4,  5,  13;  Acts  ii.  4  ;  Mat.  x.  20  ;  Mark  xiii.  11  ;  Luke 
xii.  12 ;  1  Cor.  xiii.  2. 

3.  But  the  ministers  our  adversaries  plead  for,  '  re  such 
as  wait  not  for,  nor  expect,  nor  need  the  Spirit  of  God  to 
actuate  and  move  them  in  the  work  of  the  ministry  ;  but 
what  they  do  they  do  from  their  own  mere  natural  .strength 
and  ability,  and  what  they  have  gathered  and  stolen  from 
the  letter  of  the  scripture,  and  other  books,  and  so  speak 
it  forth  in  the  strength  of  their  own  wisdom  and  eloquence, 
and  not  in  the  evidence  and  demonstration  of  the  Spirit 
and  power :  such  were  the  false  prophets  and  apostles,  as 
appears,  Jer.  xxiii.  30,  31,  32,  34,  &c. ;  1  Cor.  iv.  18  ; 
Jude  16. 

Trucmin-  IV.  The  ministers  we  plead  for,  are  such  as,  being  holy 
rollUy,  "*  '^^^  humble,  contend  not  for  precedency  and  priority,  but 
rather  strive  to  prefer  one  another,  and  serve  one  another 
in  love  ;  neither  desire  to  be  distinguished  from  the  rest  by 
their  garments  and  large  phylacteries,  nor  seek  the  greet- 
ings in  the  market-places,  nor  uppermost  rooms  at  feasts, 
nor  the  chief  seats  in  the  synagogues  ;  nor  yet  to  be  called 
of  men  master,  &c.,  such  were  the  holy  prophets  and  apos- 
tles, as  appears  from  Mat.  xxiii.  8,  9,  10,  and  xx.  25, 
26,  27. 

4.  But  the  ministers  our  adversaries  plead  for,  are  such 
as  strive  and  contend  for  superiority,  and  claim  precedency 
over  one  another ;  affecting  and  ambitiously  seeking  after 
the  forementioned  things  :  such  were  the  false  prophets  and 
apostles  in  time  past.  Mat.  xxiii.  5,  6,  7. 

Tnieniin-  V.  The  ministers  we  plead  for,  are  such  as  having  freely 
Uters  fiee  received,  freely  give  ;  who  covet  no  man's  silver,  gold,  or 
garments;  who  .seek  no  man's  goods,  but  seek  them,  and 
the  salvation  of  their  souls:  whose  hantis  supply  their  owe 
necessities,  working  honestly  for  bread  to  themselves  and 
their  families.  And  if  at  any  time  they  be  called  of  God, 
so  as  the  work  of  the  Lord  hinder  them  from  tiie  use  of 


OF  WORSHIP. 


321 


their  trades,  take  what  is  freely  given  them  by  such  to 
whom  they  have  communicated  spirituals ;  and  having 
food  and  raiment,  are  therewith  content:  such  were  the 
holy  prophets  and  apostles,  as  appears  from  Mat.  x.  8 ; 
Acts  XX.  33,  34,  35 ;  1  Tim.  vi.  8. 

5.  But  the  ministers  our  adversaries  plead  for,  are  such 
as  nd.  having  freely  received,  will  not  freely  give  ;  but  are 
icvetous,  doing  that  which  they  ought  not,  for  filthy  lucre's 
sake;  as  to  preach  for  hire,  and  divine  for  money,  and  look 
for  their  gain  from  their  quarter,  and  prepare  war  against 
such  as  put  not  into  their  mouths,  &c.  Greedy  dogs,  which 
can  never  have  enough.  Shepherds  who  feed  themselves, 
and  not  the  flock ;  eating  the  fat,  and  clothing  themselves 
with  the  wool ;  making  merchandize  of  souls  ;  and  follow- 
ing the  way  of  Balaam,  that  loved  the  wages  of  unrighteous- 
ness: such  were  the  false  prophets  and  apostles,  Isai.  Ivi. 
11  ;  Ezek.  xxxiv.  2,  3,  8;  Mic.  iii.  5,  11  ;  Tit.  i.  10,  11  ; 
2  Pet.  ii.  1,  2,  3,  14,  15. 

And  in  a  word.  We  are  for  a  holy,  spiritual,  pure  and  Tfuem'n- 
living  ministry,  where  the  ministers  are  both  called,  quali-  and  qui  i- 
fied  and  ordered,  actuated  and  influenced  in  all  the  steps  fi"^"''®"- 
of  their  ministry  by  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  which  being  want- 
ing, we  judge  they  cease  to  be  the  ministers  of  Christ. 

But  they,  judging  this  life,  grace,  and  Spirit  no  essential 
part  of  their  ministry,  are  therefore  for  the  upholding  of  a 
human,  carnal,  dry,  barren,  fruitless  and  dead  ministry; 
of  which,  alas !  we  have  seen  the  fruits  in  the  most  part  of 
their  churches :  of  whom  that  saying  of  the  Lord  is  cer- 
tainly verified,  Jer.  xxiii.  32 — "  I  sent  them  not,  nor  com- 
manded them,  therefore  they  shall  not  profit  this  people  at 
all,  saith  the  Lord." 


PROPOSITION  XL 
Concerning  Worship. 

All  true  and  acceptable  worship  to  God  is  offered  in  the 
inward  and  immediate  moving  and  drawing  of  his  own 

•2u 


352 


PROPOSITION  XI. 


What  the 
true  wor- 
ship is,  tha 
is  accepta- 
ble to  God. 
How  to  be 
pertorined. 


Supersti- 
tion and 
will-wor- 
ehip,  idola- 
try. 


Spirit,  which  is  neither  limited  to  places,  times,  nor  pei- 
sons.  For  though  we  are  to  worship  him  always,  and 
continually  to  fear  before  him  ;  yet  as  to  the  outward 
signification  thereof,  in  prayers,  praises  or  preachings, 
we  ought  not  to  do  it  in  our  own  will,  where  and  when 
we  will ;  but  where  and  when  we  are  moved  thereunto 
by  the  stirring  and  secret  inspiration  of  the  Spirit  of  God 
in  our  hearts ;  which  God  heareth  and  accepteth  of,  and 
is  never  wanting  to  move  us  thereunto,  when  need  is ; 
of  which  he  himself  is  the  alone  proper  judge.  All  other 
worship  then,  both  praises,  prayers  or  preachings,  which 
man  sets  about  in  his  own  will,  and  at  his  own  appoint- 
ment, which  he  can  both  begin  and  end  at  his  pleasure, 
do  or  leave  undone  as  himself  seeth  meet,  whether  they 
be  a  prescribed  form,  as  a  liturgy,  &c.,  or  prayers  con- 
ceived extempore  by  the  natural  strength  and  faculty  of 
the  mind,  they  are  all  but  superstition,  will-worship,  and 
abominable  idolatry  in  the  sight  of  God,  which  are  now 
to  be  denied  and  rejected,  and  separated  from,  in  this 
day  of  his  spiritual  arising :  however  it  might  have  pleased 
him  (who  winked  at  the  times  of  ignorance,  with  a  re- 
spect to  the  simplicity  and  integrity  of  some,  and  of  his 
own  innocent  seed,  which  lay  as  it  were  buried  in  the 
hearts  of  men  under  that  mass  of  superstition)  to  blow 
upon  the  dead  and  dry  bones,  and  to  raise  some  breathing' 
of  his  own,  and  answer  them  ;  and  that  until  the  day 
should  more  clearly  dawn  and  break  forth. 


§  I.  The  duty  of  man  towards  God  lieth  chiefly  in  these 
two  generals:  1.  In  an  holy  conformity  to  the  pure  law 
and  light  of  God,  so  as  both  to  forsake  the  evil,  and  be 
found  in  the  practice  of  those  perpetual  and  moral  precepts 
of  righteousness  and  equity.  And,  2.  In  rendering  that 
reverence,  honour  and  adoration  to  God,  that  he  requires 
and  demands  of  us ;  which  is  comprehended  under  wor- 
ship. Of  the  former  we  have  already  spoken,  as  also  of 
the  different  relations  of  Christians,  as  they  are  distinguish- 
ed by  the  s(  \ cial  measures  c*"  grace  received,  and  g^ven  to 


OF  WORSHIP. 


323 


I  ..J    in\  ,  and  in  that  respect  have  their  several  offices  in 
tl»«  Doflv  ..r  Christ,  which  is  the  church.    Now  I  come  to 
speak  of -vo.ship,  or  of  those  acts,  whether  private  or  public, 
generpj  or  yvrticular,  whereby  man  renders  to  God  that 
part  of  his  d  \ty  which  relates  immediately  to  him  :  and  as 
obedience  is  he..tor  than  sacrifice,  so  neither  is  any  sacrifice 
acceptable,  but  \hat  which  is  done  according  to  the  will  of 
him  to  whom  it  is  offered.    But  men,  finding  it  easier  to 
sacrifice  in  their  own  wills,  than  obey  God's  will,  have 
heaped  up  sacrificep  'w  ithout  obedience ;  and  thinking  to  True  wor 
deceive  God,  as  they  do  one  another,  give  him  a  show  of  juty^g** 
reverence,  honour  and  wovship,  while  they  are  both  inwardly  God- wards 
estranged  and  alienated  l.'om  his  holy  and  righteous  life,  '^"""P'®'*' 
and  wholly  strangers  to  lli-  pure  breathings  of  his  Spirit, 
in  which  the  acceptable  sact3i*,ce  and  worship  is  only  offered 
up.  Hence  it  is,  that  there  it*  s,ot  anything  relating  to  man's 
duty  towards  God,  which  am>jng  all  sorts  of  people  hath 
been  more  vitiated,  and  in  \\\  ich  the  devil  hath  more  pre- 
vailed, than  in  abusing  man's  mind  concerning  this  thing: 
and  as  among  many  others,  so  among  those  called  Chris- 
tians, nothing  hath  been  mnre  out  of  order,  and  more 
corrupted,  as  some  Papists,  and  all  Protestants,  do  acknow- 
ledge.   As  I  freely  approve  whatsoever  the  Protestants 
have  reformed  from  Papists  in  this  respect ;  so  I  meddle 
not  at  this  time  with  their  controversies  about  it:  only  it  ThePopiel 
suffices  me  with  them  to  deny,  as  no  part  of  the  true  wor-  ^ryHe-"'' 
ship  of  God,  that  abominable  superstition  and  idolatry  the  "ied.  with 

■n     •  I  .11-         r      •  I  11  "11  iheir 

ropisn  mass,  the  adoration  ol  samts  and  angels,  the  vene-  trumpery, 
ration  of  relics,  the  visitation  of  sepulchres,  and  all  those 
other  superstitious  ceremonies,  confraternities,  and  endless 
pilgrimages  of  the  Romish  synagogue.    Which  all  may 
suffice  to  evince  to  Protestants,  that  Antichrist  hath  wrought 
more  in  this  than  in  any  other  part  of  the  Christian  religion  ; 
and  so  it  concerns  them  narrowly  to  consider,  whether  if  Proiesi 
herein  they  have  made  a  clear  and  perfect  reformation  ;  as  ^gjj'rpej 
to  which  stands  the  controversy  betwixt  them  and  us.  For  ten  refor- 
wp  find  many  of  the  branches  lopped  off'by  them,  but  ihe  root    '  °" 
yet  remaining;  In  wit,  a  worship  acted  in  and  from  man's 


PROPOSITION  XI. 


will  and  spirit,  and  not  by  and  from  the  Spirit  of  God  :  foi 
the  true  Christian  and  spiritual  worship  of  God  hath  been 
so  early  lost,  and  man's  wisdom  and  will  hath  so  quicklj 
and  thoroughly  mixed  itself  herein,  that  both  the  apostasy 
in  this  respect  hath  been  greatest,  and  the  reformation  here 
from,  as  to  the  evil  root,  most  difficult.  Therefore  let  lu*' 
the  reader  suddenly  stumble  at  the  account  of  our  proper 
sition  in  this  matter,  but  patiently  hear  us  explain  ourselves 
in  this  respect,  and  I  hope  (by  the  assistance  of  God)  U) 
make  it  appear,  that  though  our  manner  of  speaking  and 
doctrine  seem  most  singular  and  different  from  all  otlier 
sorts  of  Christians  ;  yet  it  is  most  according  to  the  purest 
Cnristian  religion,  and  indeed  most  needful  to  be  observed 
and  followed.  And  that  there  be  no  ground  of  mistake, 
(for  that  I  was  necessitated  to  speak  in  few  words,  and 
therefore  more  obscurely  and  dubiously  in  the  proposition 
itself)  it  is  fit  in  the  first  place  to  declare  and  exphiin  our 
sense,  and  clear  the  state  of  the  controversy. 
1.  §  II.  And  first,  let  it  be  considered,  that  what  is  here 

What  wor-  affirmed,  is  spoken  of  the  worship  of  God  in  these  gospel- 
tpoken'oi.'^  times,  and  not  of  the  worship  that  was  under  or  before  the 
law :  for  the  particular  commands  of  God  to  men  then,  are 
not  sufficient  to  authorize  us  now  to  do  the  same  things ; 
else  we  might  be  supposed  at  present  acceptably  to  offer 
sacrifice  as  they  did,  which  all  acknowledge  to  be  ceased. 
So  that  what  might  have  been  both  commendable  and  ac- 
ceptable under  the  law,  may  justly  now  be  charged  with 
superstition,  yea,  and  idolatry.  So  that  impertinently,  ir. 
this  respect,  doth  Arnoldus  rage  against  this  proposition, 
[Exercit.  Theolog.  sect.  44,]  saying  ;  That  I  deny  all  public 
worship,  and  that  according  to  me,  such  as  in  Enoch's 
time  publicly  began  to  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord  ; 
and  such  as  at  the  command  of  God  went  thrice  up  to 
Jerusalem  to  worship;  and  that  Anna,  Simeon,  Mary,  &c., 
were  idolaters,  because  they  used  the  public  worship  oi 
those  times ;  such  a  consequence  is  most  impertinent,  anc 
no  less  foolish  and  absurd,  than  if  I  should  infer  from  Paul's 
expostulating  with  the  Galatians  for  their  returning  to  the 


OF  WORSHIP. 


3% 


Jewish  ceremonies,  that  he  therefore  condemned  Moses 
and  all  the  prophets  as  foolish  and  ignorant,  because  they 
used  those  things:  the  forward  man,  not  heeding  the  dif- 
ferent dispensations  of  times,  ran  into  this  impertinency. 
Though  a  spiritual  worship  might  have  been,  and  no  doubt  Ceremo- 
was  practised  by  many  under  the  law  in  great  simplicity ;  "he^iaw*^^' 
yet  will  it  not  follow,  that  it  were  no  superstition  to  use  all  '1"! 

'  .  .  .     e?fent[al  to 

those  ceremonies  that  they  used,  which  were  by  God  dis-  true  wot- 
pensed  to  the  Jews,  not  as  being  essential  to  true  worship, 
or  necessary  as  of  themselves  for  transmitting  and  enter- 
taining a  holy  fellowship  betwixt  him  and  his  people  ;  but 
in  condescension  to  them,  who  were  inclinable  to  idolatry. 
Albeit  then  in  this,  as  in  most  other  things,  the  substance 
was  enjoyed  under  the  law  by  such  as  were  spiritual  in- 
deed ;  yet  was  it  veiled  and  surrounded  with  many  rites 
and  ceremonies,  which  it  is  no  ways  lawful  for  us  to  use 
now  under  the  gospel. 

§  III.  Secondly ;  Albeit  I  say,  that  this  worship  is  II. 
neither  limited  to  times,  places,  nor  persons  ;  yet  I  would  sh^*i8*^noi 
not  be  understood,  as  if  I  intended  the  putting:  away  of  all  '',"i''ed  tu 

pl3C6  or 

set  limes  and  places  to  worship  :  God  forbid  I  should  think  person, 
of  such  an  opinion.    Nay,  we  are  none  of  those  that  for- 
sake the  assembling  of  ourselves  together ;  but  have  even 
ceitain  times  and  places,  in  which  we  carefully  meet 
together,  nor  can  we  be  driven  therefrom  by  the  threats 
and  persecutions  of  men,  to  wait  upon  God,  and  worship 
him.    To  meet  together  we  think  necessary  for  the  people  Necessity 
of  God  ;  because,  so  long  as  we  are  clothed  with  this  fngs!*'*'' 
outward  tabernacle,  there  is  a  necessity  to  the  entertaining 
i)f  a  joint  and  visible  fellowship,  and  bearing  of  an  out- 
w  rd  tes^timony  for  God,  and  seeing  of  the  faces  of  one 
another,  that  we  concur  with  our  persons  as  well  as  spirits  : 
to  be  accompanied  with  that  inward  love  and  unity  of 
spirit,  doth  greatly  tend  to  encourage  and  refresh  the 
saints. 

But  the  limitation  we  condemn,  is,  that  whereas  the  worship 

Spirit  of  God  should  be  the  immediate  actor,  mover,  i)er-  ^P^^ 

1  1  •  £1  r  -1  •     .  '  '        'he  Spirit 

*iuader  and  uiHuencer  of  man  m  the  particular  acts  of  wor-  of  God. 
28 


.126 


PROPOSITION  XI. 


ship,  when  the  saints  are  met  together,  this  Spirit  is  limited 
in  its  operations,  by  setting  up  a  particular  man  or  men  to 
preach  and  pray  in  man's  will ;  and  all  the  rest  are  ex- 
cluded from  so  much  as  believing  that  they  are  to  wait  for 
God's  Spirit  to  move  them  in  such  things;  and  so  they 
neglecting  that  in  themselves  which  should  quicken  them, 
and  not  waiting  to  feel  the  pure  breathings  of  God's  Spirit, 
so  as  to  obey  them,  are  led  merely  to  depend  upon  the 
preacher,  and  hear  what  he  will  say. 
a.  True         Secondly  ;  In  that  these  peculiar  men  come  not  thither 

teaching  ol  meet  with  the  Lord,  and  to  wait  for  the  inward  motions 
the  word  ot  _  ... 

God.  and  operations  of  his  Spirit ;  and  so  to  pray  as  they  feel 
the  Spirit  to  breathe  through  them,  and  in  them  ;  and  to 
preach,  as  they  find  themselves  actuated  and  moved  by 
God's  Spirit,  and  as  he  gives  utterance,  so  as  to  speak  a 
word  in  season  to  refresh  weary  souls,  and  as  the  present 
condition  and  state  of  the  people's  hearts  require  ;  suffer- 
ing God  by  his  Spirit  both  to  prepare  people's  hearts,  and 
also  give  the  preacher  to  speak  what  may  be  fit  and  sea- 
sonable for  them  ;  but  he  [viz.,  the  preacher]  hath  ham- 
mered together  in  his  closet,  according  to  his  own  will,  by 
his  human  wisdom  and  literature,  and  by  stealing  the  words 
of  truth  from  the  letter  of  the  scriptures,  and  patching 
together  other  men's  writings  and  observations,  so  much 
as  will  hold  him  speaking  an  hour,  while  the  glass  runs; 
Priests  and  without  waiting  or  feeling  the  inward  influence  of  the 
Rap^'bazard  ^P*"*  God,  he  declaims  that  by  hap-hazard,  whether  it 
thf^irsiudi-  be  fit  or  seasonable  for  the  people's  condition,  or  not ;  and 
when  he  has  ended  his  sermon,  he  saith  his  prayer  also  in 
his  own  will ;  and  so  there  is  an  end  of  the  business. 
Which  customary  worship,  as  it  is  no  ways  acceptable  to 
God,  so  how  unfruitful  it  is,  and  unprofitable  to  those  that 
are  found  in  it,  the  present  condition  of  the  nations  doth 
sulTiciently  declare.  It  appears  then,  that  we  are  not  against 
set  times  for  worship,  as  Arnoldus  against  this  proposition, 
Sect.  45,  no  less  impertinently  allegeth  ;  offering  need- 
lessly to  prove  that  which  is  not  denied:  only  these  times 
being  appointed  for  outward  conveniency,  we  may  not 


ttl  sermons 


OF  WORSHIP. 


327 


therefore  think  with  the  Papists,  that  these  days  are  holy, 
and  lead  people  into  a  superstitious  observation  of  them  ; 
being  persuaded  that  all  days  are  alike  holy  in  the  sight  of  Whethei 
God.  And  although  it  be  not  my  present  purpose  to  make  f,o[y."* 
a  long  digression  concerning  the  debates  among  Protes- 
tants about  the  first  day  of  the  week,  commonly  called  the 
Lord's  day,  yet  forasmuch  as  it  comes  fitly  in  here,  I  shall 
briefly  signify  our  sense  thereof. 

§  IV.  We,  not  seeing  any  m"ound  in  scripture  for  it.  Of  the  first 

,         '  .  .  ^  ,    V  .1    .     •  ,  '  day  of  the 

cannot  be  so  superstitious  as  to  believe,  that  either  the  week,  com- 
Jewish  sabbath  now  continues,  or  that  the  first  day  of  the  ^°"hg*'*"" 
week  is  the  anti-type  thereof,  or  the  true  Christian  sab-  Lord's  day 
bath ;  which  with  Calvin  we  believe  to  have  a  more 
spiritual  sense :  and  therefore  we  know  no  moral  obliga- 
tion by  the  fourth  command,  or  elsewhere,  to  keep  the 
first  day  of  the  week  more  than  any  other,  or  any  holiness 
inherent  in  it.  But  first,  forasmuch  as  it  is  necessary  that 
'here  be  some  time  set  apart  for  the  saints  to  meet  together 
to  wait  upon  God  ;  and  that  secondly,  it  is  fit  at  sometimes 
they  be  freed  from  their  other  outward  affairs  ;  and  that 
thirdly,  reason  and  equity  doth  allow  that  servants  and 
beasts  have  some  time  allowed  them  to  be  eased  from  their 
continual  labour  ;  and  that  fourthly,  it  appears  that  the 
apostles  and  primitive  Christians  did  use  the  first  day  of  the 
week  for  these  purposes  ;  we  find  ourselves  suflflciently 
moved  for  these  causes  to  do  so  also,  without  supersti- 
tiously  straining  the  scriptures  for  another  reason  :  which, 
that  it  is  not  to  be  there  found,  many  Protestants,  yea, 
Calvin  himself,  upon  the  fourth  command,  hath  abundantly 
evinced.  And  though  we  therefore  meet,  and  abstain  from 
working  upon  this  day,  yet  doth  not  that  hinder  us  from 
having  meetings  also  for  worship  at  other  times. 

§  V.  Thirdly  ;  Though  according  to  the  knowledge  ot 
God,  revealed  unto  us  by  the  Spirit,  through  that  more 
full  dispensation  of  light  which  we  believe  the  Lord  hath 
brought  about  in  this  day,  we  judge  it  our  duty  to  hold 
forth  that  pure  and  spiritual  worship  which  is  acceptable  to 
God,  and  answerable  to  the  testimony  of  Christ  and  his 


328 


PROPOSITION  XI. 


apostles,  and  likewise  to  testify  against  and  deny  not  only 
manifest  superstition  and  idolatry,  but  also  all  formal  wil) 
The  woi-    worship,  which  stands  not  iu  the  power  of  God  ;  yet,  I  say, 
•post^y!'*  ^^'^      "ot  deny  the  whole  worship  of  all  those  that  have 
borne  the  name  of  Christians  even  in  the  apostasy,  as  if 
God  had  never  heard  their  prayers,  nor  accepted  any  of 
them  :  God  forbid  we  should  be  so  void  of  charity  !  The 
latter  part  of  the  proposition  showeth  the  contrary.  And 
as  we  would  not  be  so  absurd  on  the  one  hand  to  conclude, 
because  of  the  errors  and  darkness  that  many  were  covered 
and  surrounded  with  in  Babylon,  that  none  of  their  prayers 
were  heard  or  accepted  of  God,  so  will  we  not  be  so 
unwary  on  the  other,  as  to  conclude,  that  because  God 
heard  and  pitied  them,  so  we  ought  to  continue  in  these 
errors  and  darkness,  and  not  come  out  of  Babylon,  when 
The  Popish  it  is  by  God  discovered  unto  us.    The  Popish  mass  and 
vespers!'*    vespers  I  do  believe  to  be,  as  to  the  matter  of  them,  abo- 
minable idolatry  and  superstition,  and  so  also  believe  the 
Protestants;  yet  will  neither  I  or  they  affirm,  that  in  the 
darkness  of  Popery  no  upright-hearted  men,  though  zeal- 
ous in  these  abominations,  have  been  heard  of  God,  oi 
Bernard     accepted  of  him.    Who  can  deny,  but  that  both  Bernard 
venture"^"  ^^'^  Bonaventure,  Taulerus,  Thomas  a  Kernpis,  and  divers 
Taulerus,    others  have  both  known  and  tasted  of  the  love  of  God,  and. 
Kernpis,     ff It  the  power  and  virtue  of  God's  Spirit  working  with  them 

^f^.u  'f*'®**  for  their  salvation  ?  And  yet  ought  we  not  to  forsake  and 
of  the  love  _  J  o 

of  God.  deny  those  superstitions  which  they  were  found  in.''  The 
Calvinistical  Presbyterians  do  much  upbraid,  and  I  say  not 
The  ^  without  reason,  the  formality  and  deadness  of  the  Episco- 
fiturgy!  palian  and  Lutheran  liturgies  ;  and  yet,  as  they  will  not 
deny  but  there  have  been  some  good  men  among  them,  so 
neither  dare  they  refuse,  but  that  when  that  good  step  was 
brought  in  by  them,  of  turning  the  public  prayers  into  the 
vulgar  tongues,  though  continued  in  a  liturgy,  it  was 
acceptable  to  God,  and  sometimes  accompanied  with  his 
jower  and  presence:  yet  will  not  the  Presbyterians  have 
it  from  thence  concluded,  that  the  common  prayers  should 
still  continue  ;  so  likewise,  though  we  should  confess,  that, 


OF  WORSHIP. 


329 


through  the  mercy  and  wonderful  condescension  of  God, 
there  have  been  upright  in  heart  both  among  Papists  and 
Protestants,  yet  can  we  not  therefore  approve  of  their  way 
in  the  general,  or  not  go  on  to  the  upholding  of  that 
spiritual  worship,  which  the  Lord  is  calling  all  to,  and 
so  to  the  testifying  against  whatsoever  stands  in  the  way 
of  it. 

§  VI.  Fourthly;  To  come  then  to  the  state  of  the  con-  AssemUiei 
troversy,  as  to  the  public  worship,  we  judge  it  the  duty  of  [„  ^bltc''' 
all  to  be  diligent  in  the  assembling  of  themselves  toge-  <lescribed 
iher,  and  what  we  have  been,  and  are,  in  this  matter,  our 
enemies  in  Great  Britain,  who  have  used  all  means  to 
hinder  our  assembling  together  to  worship  God,  may  bear 
witness;  and  when  assembled,  the  great  work  of  one  and 
all  ought  to  be  to  wait  upon  God  ;  and  returning  out  of 
Iheir  own  thoughts  and  imaginations,  to  feel  the  Lord's 
presence,  and  know  a  gathering  into  his  name  indeed, 
where  he  is  in  the  midst,  according  to  his  promise.  And 
as  every  one  is  thus  gathered,  and  so  met  together  in- 
wardly in  their  spirits,  as  well  as  outwardly  in  their  persons, 
there  the  secret  power  and  virtue  of  life  is  known  to  re- 
fresh the  soul,  and  the  pure  motions  and  breathings  of 
God's  Spirit  are  felt  to  arise  ;  from  which,  as  words  of 
declaration,  prayers  or  praises  arise,  the  acceptable  worship 
is  known,  which  edifies  the  church,  and  is  well-pleasing 
to  God.  And  no  man  here  limits  tlie  Spirit  of  God,  nor 
bringeth  forth  his  own  conned  and  gathered  stuff;  but 
every  one  puts  that  forth  which  the  Lord  puts  into  their 
hearts:  and  it  is  uttered  forth  not  in  man's  will  and  wis-  'I'he  giori- 
dom  ;  but  in  the  evidence  and  demonstration  of  the  Spirit,  satliln  dT' 
and  of  power.  Yea,  though  there  be  not  a  word  spoken, 
yet  is  the  true  spiritual  worship  performed,  and  the  body 
of  Christ  edified  ;  yea,  it  may,  and  hath  often  fallen  out 
among  us,  that  divers  meetings  have  past  without  one  word  ; 
and  yet  our  souls  have  been  greatly  edified  and  refreshed, 
and  our  hearts  wonderfully  overcome  with  the  secret  sense 
of  God's  power  and  Spirit,  which  without  words  hath 
been  ministen  d  from  one  vessel  to  another.  This  is 
28*  2v 


PROPOSITION  XI. 


indeed  strange  and  incredible  to  the  mere  natural  anil  cai- 
nally-minded  man,  who  will  be  apt  to  judge  all  time  lost 
where  there  is  not  something  spoken  that  is  obvious  to  the 
outward  senses  ;  and  therefore  I  shall  insist  a  little  upon 
this  subject,  as  one  that  can  speak  from  a  certain  expe- 
rience, and  not  by  mere  hearsay,  of  this  wonderful  and 
glorious  dispensation  ;  which  hath  so  much  the  more  of 
the  wisdom  and  glory  of  God  in  it,  as  it  is  contrary  to  the 
n'ature  of  man's  spirit,  will,  and  wisdom. 
The  silent  §  VII.  As  there  can  be  nothing  more  opposite  to  the 
npon"Bod  n'^t^^'"^!  will  and  wisdom  of  man  than  this  silent  waiting 
abtained.  upon  God,  SO  neither  can  it  be  obtained,  nor  rightly  com- 
prehended by  man,  but  as  he  layeth  down  his  own  wisdom 
and  will,  so  as  to  be  content  to  be  thoroughly  subject  to 
God.  And  therefore  it  was  not  preached,  nor  can  be  so 
practised,  but  by  such  as  find  no  outward  ceremony,  no 
observations,  no  words,  yea,  not  the  best  and  purest  words, 
even  the  words  of  scripture,  able  to  satisfy  their  weary  and 
afflicted  souls :  because  where  all  these  may  be,  the  life, 
power,  and  virtue,  which  make  such  things  effectual,  may 
be  wanting.  Such,  I  say,  were  necessitated  to  cease  from 
all  externals,  and  to  be  silent  before  the  Lord;  and  being 
directed  to  that  inward  principle  of  life  and  light  in  them- 
[m.  XXX.20.  selves,  as  the  most  excellent  teacher,  which  "  can  never  be 
removed  into  a  corner,"  came  thereby  to  be  taught  to  wait 
upon  God  in  the  measure  of  life  and  grace  received  from 
him,  and  to  cease  from  their  own  forward  words  and  ac- 
tings, in  the  natural  willing  and  comprehension,  and  feel 
after  this  inward  seed  of  life  ;  that,  as  it  moveth,  they  may 
move  with  it,  and  be  actuated  by  its  power,  and  influenced, 
whether  to  pray,  preach  or  sing.  And  so  from  this  prin-. 
ciple  of  man's  being  silent,  and  not  acting  in  the  things  of 
God  of  himself,  until  thus  actuated  by  God's  light  and 
grace  in  the  heart,  did  naturally  spring  that  manner  of  sit- 
ting silent  together,  and  waiting  together  upon  the  Lord. 
For  many  thus  principled,  meeting  together  in  the  pure 
fear  of  the  Lord,  did  not  apply  themselves  presently  to 
speak,  pray,  or  sing,  &c.,  being  afraid  to  be  found  acting 


OF  WORSHIP. 


331 


forwardly  in  their  own  wills;  but  each  made  it  their  work 
to  retire  inwardly  to  the  measure  of  grace  in  themselves, 
not  being  only  silent  as  to  words,  but  even  abstaining  from 
all  their  own  thoughts,  imaginations  and  desires ;  so  watch- 
ing in  a  holy  dependence  upon  the  Lord,  and  meeting  to- 
gether not  only  outwardly  in  one  place,  but  thus  inwardly 
in  one  Spirit,  and  in  one  name  of  Jesus,  which  is  his  vvh;.t  it  ia 
power  and  virtue,  they  come  thereby  to  enjoy  and  feel  the  Ihe"name" 
arisings  of  this  life,  which,  as  it  prevails  in  each  particular,  of  Jesua. 
becomes  as  a  flood  of  refreshment,  and  overspreads  the 
whole  meeting :  for  man,  and  man's  part  and  wisdom,  be- 
ing denied  and  chained  down  in  every  individual,  and 
God  exalted,  and  his  grace  in  dominion  in  the  heart,  thus 
his  name  comes  to  be  one  in  all,  and  his  glory  breaks  forth, 
and  covers  all ;  and  there  is  such  a  holy  awe  and  rever- 
ence upon  every  soul,  that  if  the  natural  part  should  arise 
in  any,  or  the  wise  part,  or  what  is  not  one  with  the  life, 
it  would  presently  be  chained  down,  and  judged  out.  And 
when  any  are,  through  the  breaking  forth  of  this  power, 
constrained  to  utter  a  sentence  of  exhortation  or  praise,  or 
to  breathe  to  the  Lord  in  prayer,  then  all  are  sensible  of 
it;  for  the  same  life  in  them  answers  to  it,  "as  in  water  Prov.xxvu 

.  .  .  .  19 

face  answereth  to  face."    This  is  that  divine  and  spiritual 
worship,  which  the  world  neither  knoweth  nor  under- 
standeth,  which  the  vulture's  eye  seeth  not  into.  Yet 
many  and  great  are  the  advantages,  which  my  soul,  with  Advan- 
many  others,  hath  tasted  of  hereby,  and  which  would  be  lenf  meet' 
found  of  all  such  as  would  seriously  apply  themselves  '"S®- 
hereunto :  for,  when  people  are  gathered  thus  together, 
not  merely  to  hear  men,  nor  depend  upon  them,  but  all  Isa.  x.  no, 
are  inwardly  taught  to  stay  their  minds  upon  the  Lord, 
and  wait  for  his  appearance  in  their  hearts  ;  thereby  the 
forvard  working  of  the  spirit  of  man  is  stayed  and  hindered 
from  mixing  itself  with  the  worship  of  God ;  and  the  form 
of  this  worship  is  so  naked  and  void  of  all  outward  and 
woildly  splendor,  that  all  occasion  for  man's  wisdom  to  be 
exercised  in  that  superstition  and  idolatry  hath  no  lodging 
hero ;  and  so  there  being  also  an  inward  quietness  and 


332 


PROPOSITION  St. 


retireiJness  of  mind,  the  witness  of  God  ariseth  in  the  neart, 
and  the  light  of  Christ  shineth,  whereby  the  soul  conieth 
to  see  its  own  condition.  And  there  being  many  joined 
together  in  this  same  work,  there  is  an  inward  travail  and 
wrestling  ;  and  also,  as  the  measure  of  grace  is  abode  in, 
an  overcoming  of  the  power  and  spirit  of  darkness ;  and 
thus  ue  are  often  greatly  strengthened  and  renewed  in  the 
spirits  of  our  minds  without  a  word,  and  we  enjoy  and 
Gpb.  IV.  23.  possess  the  holy  fellowship  and  communion  of  the  body 
and  blood  of  Christ,  by  which  our  inward  man  is  nourished 
and  fed  ;  which  makes  us  not  to  dote  upon  outward  water, 
arid  bread  and  wine,  in  our  spiritual  things.  Now  as  many 
thus  gathered  together  grow  up  in  the  strength,  power,  and 
virtue  of  truth,  and  as  truth  comes  thus  to  have  victory  and 
dominion  in  their  souls,  then  they  receive  an  utterance, 
S^akingio  and  speak  steadily  to  the  edification  of  their  brethren,  and 
•  ification.  ^j^^         jj^^  j^^^l^  ^  ^^^^  passage  through  them,  and  what  is 

thus  spoken  edifieth  the  body  indeed.  Such  is  the  evident 
certainty  of  that  divine  strength  that  is  communicated  by 
thus  meeting  together,  and  waiting  in  silence  upon  God, 
that  sometimes  when  one  hath  come  in  that  hath  been  uti- 
watchful  and  wandering  in  his  mind,  or  suddenly  out  of 
the  hurry  of  outward  business,  and  so  not  inwardly  gathered 
with  the  rest,  so  soon  as  he  retires  himself  inwardly,  this 
power  being  in  a  good  measure  raised  in  the  whole  meet- 
ing, will  suddenly  lay  hold  upon  his  spirit,  and  wonder- 
fully help  to  raise  up  the  good  in  him,  and  beget  him  into 
the  sense  of  the  same  power,  to  the  melting  and  wanning 
of  his  heart ;  even  as  the  warmth  would  take  hold  upon  a 
man  that  is  cold  coming  in  to  a  stove,  or  as  a  flame  will 
lay  hold  upon  some  little  combustible  matter  being  near 
unto  it.  Yea,  if  it  fall  out  that  several  met  together  be 
straying  in  their  minds,  though  outwardly  silent,  and  so 
wandering  from  the  measure  of  grace  in  themselves,  which 
through  the  working  of  the  enemy,  and  negligence  of 
some,  may  fall  out,  if  either  one  come  in,  or  may  be  in, 
who  is  watchful,  and  in  whom  the  life  is  raised  in  a  great 
measure,  as  that  one  keeps  his  place,  he  will  feel  a  secrel 


OF  WORSHIP. 


333 


travail  for  the  rest  in  a  syiiipatliy  with  the  seed  which  is 
oppressed  in  the  other,  and  kept  from  arising  by  their 
thoughts  and  wanderings ;  and  as  such  a  faithfid  one  waits  A  secret 
in  the  light,  and  keeps  in  this  divine  work,  God  often-  forTn'orhei 
times  answ^ers  the  secret  travail  and  breathings  of  his  own 

°  meetings. 

seed  through  such  a  one,  so  that  the  rest  will  find  them- 
selves secretly  smitten  without  words,  and  that  one  will  be 
as  a  midwife  through  the  secret  travail  of  his  soul  to  bring 
forth  the  life  in  them,  just  as  a  little  water  thrown  into  a 
pump  brings  up  the  rest,  whereby  life  will  come  to  be 
raised  in  all,  and  the  vain  imaginations  brought  down  ; 
and  such  a  one  is  felt  by  the  rest  to  minister  life  unto 
them  without  words.  Yea,  sometimes,  when  there  is  not 
a  word  in  the  meeting,  but  all  are  silently  waiting,  if  one 
come  in  that  is  rude  and  wicked,  and  in  whom  the  power 
of  darkness  prevaileth  much,  perhaps  with  an  intention  to 
mock  or  do  mischief,  if  the  whole  meeting  be  gathered  into  The  mock 
the  life,  and  it  be  raised  in  a  good  measure,  it  will  strike  witl'/terro 

terror  into  such  a  one,  and  he  will  feel  himself  unable  to  when  no 

'  .  word  18 

resist ;  but  by  the  secret  strength  and  virtue  thereof,  the  spoken. 

power  of  darkness  in  him  will  be  chained  down :  and  if 

the  day  of  his  visitation  be  not  expired,  it  will  reach  to  the 

measure  of  grace  in  him,  and  raise  it  up  to  the  redeeming 

of  his  soul.    And  this  we  often  bear  witness  of,  so  that  we 

have  had  frequent  occasion  in  this  respect,  since  God  hath 

gathered  us  to  be  a  people,  to  renew  this  old  saying  of 

many,  "  Is  Saul  also  among  the  prophets.-"'  For  not  a  few  i  Sam.  i. 

have  come  to  be  convinced  of  the  truth  after  this  manner, 

of  which  I  myself,  in  part,  am  a  true  witness,  who  not  by 

strength  of  arguments,  or  by  a  particular  disquisition  of 

ea  h  doctrine,  and  convincement  of  my  understanding 

the'"'by,  came  to  receive  and  beai  witness  of  the  truth,  but 

by  being  secretly  reached  by  this  life;  for  when  I  came  The iru« 

into  the  silent  assemblies  of  God's  people,  I  felt  a  secret 

power  among  them,  which  touched  my  heart,  and  as  I 

gave  way  unto  it,  I  found  the  evil  weakening  in  me,  and 

the  good  raised  up,  and  so  I  became  thus  knit  and  united 

unto  them,  hungering  more  and  more  after  the  increase  of 


convince 
meiit 


J34 


PROPOSITION  XI. 


this  power  and  life,  whereby  I  might  feel  myself  p  rfectly 
redeemed.  And  indeed  this  is  the  surest  way  to  become 
a  Christian,  to  whom  afterwards  the  knowledge  and  under- 
standing of  principles  will  not  be  wanting,  but  will  grow 
up  so  much  as  is  needful,  as  the  natural  fruit  of  this  good 
root,  and  such  a  knowledge  will  not  be  barren  nor  unfruit- 
ful. After  this  manner  we  desire  therefore  all  that  come 
among  us  to  be  proselyted,  knowing  that  though  thousands 
should  be  convinced  in  their  understandings  of  all  the 
truths  we  maintain,  yet  if  they  were  not  sensible  of  this  in- 
ward life,  and  their  souls  not  changed  from  unrighteous- 
ness to  righteousness,  they  could  add  nothing  to  us.  For 
I  Cor  VI.17.  this  is  that  cement  whereby  we  are  joined  "  as  to  the  Lord," 
righti!ous°  so  to  one  another,  and  without  this  none  can  worship  with 
ness  doth  Yea,  if  such  should  come  among;  us,  and  from  that 

join  us  to  '  o  ) 

the  Lord,    understanding  and  convinceraent  they  have  of  the  truth, 
speak  ever  so  true  things,  and  utter  them  forth  with  ever 
so  much  excellency  of  speech,  if  this  life  were  wanting,  it 
would  not  edify  us  at  all,  but  be  as  <<  sounding  brass,  or  a 
tinkling  cymbal,"  1  Cor.  xiii.  1. 
Our  work      §  VIII.  Our  work  then  and  worship  is,  when  we  meet 
i'nour'"'''''  t^g^^her,  for  every  one  to  watch  and  wait  upon  God  in 
meetings,    themselves,  and  to  be  gathered  from  all  visibles  thereunto. 

And  as  every  one  is  thus  stated,  they  come  to  find  the  good 
arise  over  the  evil,  and  the  pure  over  the  impure,  in  which 
God  reveals  himself,  and  draweth  near  to  every  individual, 
and  so  he  is  in  the  midst  in  the  general,  whereby  each  not 
only  partakes  of  the  particular  refreshment  and  strength 
which  comes  from  the  good  in  himself,  but  is  a  sharer  in 
the  whole  body,  as  being  a  living  member  of  the  body, 
having  a  joint  fellowship  and  communion  with  all.  And 
as  this  worship  is  steadfastly  preached  and  kept  to,  it  be- 
comes easy,  though  it  be  very  hard  at  first  to  the  natural 
man,  whose  roving  imaginations  and  running  worldly 
desires  are  not  so  easily  brought  to  silence.  And  there- 
fore the  Lord  often-times,  when  any  turn  towards  him, 
and  have  true  desires  thus  to  wait  upon  him,  and 
6nd  great  difficulty  through  the  unstayedness  of  their 


OF  WORSHIP. 


minds,  doth  in  condescension  and  compassion  cause  his 
power  to  break  forth  in  a  more  strong  and  powerful  man- 
ner. And  when  the  mind  sinks  down,  and  watts  for  the 
appearance  of  life,  and  that  the  power  of  darkness  in  the 
soul  wrestles  and  works  against  it,  then  the  good  seed,  as  it 
criseth,  will  be  found  to  work  as  physic  in  the  soul,  espe- 
cially if  such  a  weak  one  be  in  the  assembly  of  divers  others 
in  whom  the  life  is  arisen  in  greater  dominion,  and  through 
the  contrary  workings  of  the  power  of  darkness  there  will 
be  found  an  inward  striving  in  the  soul  as  really  in  the  Esau  and 
mystery  as  ever  Esau  and  Jacob  strove  in  Rebecca's  strove  in 

womb.    And  from  this  inward  travail,  while  the  darkness  Rebecna'i 

womb. 

seeks  to  obscure  the  light,  and  the  light  breaks  through  the 
darkness,  which  it  always  will  do,  if  the  soul  gives  not  its 
strength  to  the  darkness,  there  will  be  such  a  painful  tra- 
vail found  in  the  soul,  that  will  even  work  upon  the  out- 
ward man,  so  that  often-times,  through  the  working  there- 
of, the  body  will  be  greatly  shaken,  and  many  groans,  and 
sighs,  and  tears,  even  as  the  pangs  of  a  woman  in  travail,  will 
lay  hold  upon  it ;  yea,  and  this  not  only  as  to  one,  but  when 
the  enemy,  who,  when  the  children  of  God  assemble 
together,  is  not  wanting  to  be  present,  to  see  if  he  can  let 
their  comfort,  hath  prevailed  in  any  measure  in  a  whole 
meeting,  and  strongly  worketh  against  it  by  spreading  and 
propagating  his  dark  power,  and  by  drawing  out  the  minds 
of  such  as  are  met  from  the  life  in  them,  as  they  come  to 
be  sensible  of  this  power  of  his  that  works  against  them, 
and  to  wrestle  with  it  by  the  armour  of  light,  sometimes 
the  power  of  God  will  break  forth  into  a  whole  meeting,  Thetravai 
3nd  there  will  be  such  an  inward  travail,  while  each  is  seek-  with  a  vie 
it  2  to  overcome  the  evil  in  themselves,  that  by  the  strong 
contrary  workings  of  these  opposite  powers,  like  the  going 
of  two  contrary  tiues,  every  individual  will  be  strongly 
exercised  as  in  -n  day  of  battle,  and  thereby  trembling  and 
a  motion  of  body  will  be  upon  most,  if  not  upon  all, 
which,  as  the  power  of  truth  prevails,  will  from  pangs  and 
groans  end  with  a  sweet  sound  of  thanksgiving  and  praise. 
And  from  this  the  name  of  Quakers,  i.  e.,  Tremblers,  was 


torious 
song. 


336 


PROPOSITION  XI. 


The  name  first  reproachfully  cast  upon  us ;  which  though  it  be  uouv 
ers^wheiice  choosiiig,  yet  in  this  respect  we  are  not  ashamed  of 

ii  sprung,  j^^  have  rather  reason  to  rejoice  therefore,  even  that  we 
are  sensible  of  this  power  that  hath  oftentimes  laid  hold 
of  our  adversaries,  and  made  them  yield  unto  us,  and  join 
with  us,  and  confess  to  the  truth,  before  they  had  any  dis- 
tinct or  discursive  knowledge  of  our  doctrines,  so  that 
sometimes  many  at  one  meeting  have  been  thus  convinced  : 
and  this  power  would  sometimes  also  reach  to  and  wonder- 
fully work  even  in  little  children,  to  the  admiration  and 
astonishment  of  many. 
Yd  silence  §  IX.  Many  are  the  blessed  experiences  which  I  could 
tMu"worc[s  •'^''1^'^  of  'his  silence  and  manner  of  worship  ;  yet  I  do  not 
may  follow,  so  much  commend  and  speak  of  silence  as  if  we  had  bound 
ourselves  by  any  law  to  exclude  praying  or  preaching,  or 
tied  ourselves  thereunto  ;  not  at  all :  for  as  our  worship 
consisteth  not  in  words,  so  neither  in  silence,  as  silence; 
but  in  a  holy  dependence  of  the  mind  upon  God  :  from  whiclj 
dependence  silence  necessarily  follows  in  the  first  place, 
until  words  can  be  brought  forth,  which  are  from  God's 
Spirit.  And  God  is  not  wanting  to  move  in  his  children 
to  bring  forth  words  of  exhortation  or  prayer,  when  it  is 
needful ;  so  that  of  the  many  gatherings  and  meetings  of 
such  as  are  convinced  of  the  truth,  there  is  scarce  any  in 
whom  God  raiseth  not  up  some  or  other  to  minister  to  his 
brethren  ;  and  there  are  few  meetings  that  are  altogether 
silent.  For  when  many  are  met  together  in  this  one  life 
and  name,  it  doth  most  naturally  and  frequently  excite 
them  to  pray  to  and  praise  God,  and  stir  up  one  another 
by  mutual  exhortation  and  instructions;  yet  we  judge  it 
needful  there  be  in  the  first  place  some  time  of  silence, 
during  which  every  one  may  be  gathered  inward  to  the 
word  and  gift  of  grace,  from  which  he  that  ministereth  may 
receive  strength  to  bring  forth  what  he  ministereth  ;  and 
that  they  that  hear  may  have  a  sense  to  discern  betwixt  the 
precious  and  the  vile,  and  not  to  hurry  into  the  exercise 
of  these  things  so  soon  as  the  bell  rings,  as  other  Chris- 
tians do.    Yea,  and  we  doubt  not,  but  assuredly  know 


OF  WORSHIP. 


337 


that  the  meeting  may  be  good  and  refreshful,  1  lough  from 

the  sitting  down  to  the  rising  up  thereof  there  hath  not 

been  a  word  as  outwardly  spoken,  and  yet  life  may  have  No  ..iiso- 

been  Known  to  abound  in  each  particular,  and  an  inward  ^"'^  ^f^-^^^ 

growing  up  therein  and  thereby,  yea,  so  as  words  might  words, 

have  been  spoken  acceptably,  and  from  the  life  :  yet  there  irom  the 

beint£  no  absolute  necessity  laid  upon  any  so  to  do,  all 

jnight  have  chosen  rather  quietly  and  silently  to  possess 

and  enjoy  the  Lord  in  themselves,  which  is  very  sweet 

and  comfortable  to  the  soul  that  hath  thus  learned  to  be 

gathered  out  of  all  its  own  thoughts  and  workings,  to  feel 

the  Lord  to  bring  forth  both  the  will  and  the  deed,  which 

many  can  declare  by  a  blessed  experience  :  though  indeed 

it  cannot  but  be  hard  for  the  natural  man  to  receive  or 

believe  this  doctrine,  and  therefore  it  must  be  rather  by  a 

sensible  experience,  and  by  coming  to  make  proof  of  it, 

than  by  arguments,  that  such  can  be  convinced  of  this 

thing,  seeing  it  is  not  enough  to  believe  it,  if  they  come 

not  also  to  enjoy  and  possess  it ;  yet  in  condescension  to, 

and  for  the  sake  of,  such  as  may  be  the  more  willing  to 

apply  themselves  to  the  practice  and  experience  hereof,  if 

they  found  their  understandings  convinced  of  it,  and  that 

it  is  founded  upon  scripture  and  reason,  I  find  a  freedom 

of  mind  to  add  some  few  considerations  of  this  kind,  for 

the  confirmation  hereof,  besides  what  is  before  mentioned 

of  our  experience. 

§  X.  That  to  wait  upon  God,  and  to  watch  before  him.  To  wait  an^ 
is  a  duty  incumbent  upon  all,  I  suppose  none  will  deny  ;  "^^^^^f.^^ 
and  that  this  also  is  a  part  of  worship  will  not  be  called  in  ihe  scrip 
question,  since  there  is  scarce  any  other  so  frequently  com- 
loandpd  in  the  holy  scriptures,  as  may  appear  from  Psalm 
xxvii.  14,  and  xxxvii.  7,  34  ;  Prov.  xx.  22  ;  Isai.  xxx.  18  ; 
Hosea  xii.  6  ;  Zeph.  iii.  8  ;  Mat.  xxiv.  42,  and  xxv.  13, 
and  xxvi.  41 ;  Mark  xiii.  33,  35,  37  ;  Luke  xxi.  36  ;  Acts 
i.  4,  and  xx.  31  ;  1  Cor.  xvi.  13  ;  Col.  iv.  2  ;  1  Thess.  v. 
6  ;  2  Tim.  iv.  5  ;  1  Pet.  iv.  7.    Also  this  duty  is  often  re- 
commended whh  very  great  and  precious  promises,  as 
I'&alm  xxv.  3,  and  xxxvii.  9,  and  Ixix.  G  ;  Isai.  xlii.  23  ; 
29  2  s 


PROPOSITION  Xl. 


Lam.  iii,  25,  26.  Tliey  that  wait  upon  .he  Lord  shah 
renew  their  strength,  &c.,  Isa.  xl.  31.  Now  how  i^  this 
waiting  upon  God,  or  watching  before  him,  but  by  this 
silence  of  which  we  have  spoken  }  Which  as  it  is  in  it- 
.self  a  great  and  principal  duty,  so  it  necessarily  in  order 
both  of  nature  and  time  precedeth  all  other.  But  that  it 
•>  may  be  the  better  and  more  perfectly  understood,  as  it  is 

not  only  an  outward  silence  of  the  body,  but  an  inward 
silence  of  the  mind  from  all  its  own  imaginations  and  sell- 
cogitations,  let  it  be  considered  according  to  truth,  and  to 
the  principles  and  doctrines  heretofore  affirmed  and  proved, 
that  man  is  to  be  considered  in  a  twofold  respect,  to  wit, 
in  his  natural,  unregenerate,  and  fallen  state,  and  in  his 
spiritual  and  renewed  condition  ;  from  whence  ariseth  that 
distinction  of  the  natural  and  spiritual  man  so  much  used 
by  the  apostle,  and  heretofore  spoken  of.  Also  these  two 
births  of  the  mind  proceed  from  the  two  seeds  in  man  re- 
spectively, to  wit,  the  good  seed  and  the  evil ;  and  from 
the  evil  seed  doth  not  only  proceed  all  manner  of  gross  and 
abominable  wickedness  and  profanity,  but  also  hypocrisy, 
Whence  and  those  wickednesses  which  the  scripture  calls  spiritual, 
Besses  arise  because  it  is  the  serpent  working  in  and  by  the  natural  man 
ipL\nial  ''^  things  that  are  spiritual,  which  having  a  show  and  appear- 
ance of  good,  are  so  much  the  more  hurtful  and  dangerous, 
as  it  is  Satan  transformed  and  transforming  himself  into  an 
angel  of  light ;  and  therefore  doth  the  scripture  so  prossingly 
and  frequently,  as  we  have  heretofore  had  occasion  to  oii- 
serve,  shut  out  and  exclude  the  natural  man  from  med- 
dling with  the  things  of  God,  denying  his  endeavours 
therein,  though  acted  and  performed  by  the  most  eminent 
of  his  parts,  as  of  wisdom  and  utterance. 

Also  this  spiritual  wickedness  is  of  two  sorts,  though 
both  one  in  kind,  as  proceeding  from  one  root,  yet  difler- 
ing  in  their  degrees,  and  in  the  subjects  also  sometimes. 
The  one  is,  when  as  the  natural  man,  meddling  with  and 
working  in  the  things  of  religion,  doth  from  his  own  con- 
ceptions and  divinations  affirm  or  propose  wiong  and 
erroneous  notions  and  opinions  of  God  and  things  spiritual, 


OF  WORSHIP. 


339 


and  invent  superstitions,  ceremonies,  observations,  and  rites  From 
in  worship,  from  whence  have  sprung  all  the  heresies  and  heru'sTe^adi 
superstitions  that  are  among  Christians.  The  other  "s,  when  spring, 
as  the  natural  man,  from  a  mere  conviction  of  his  under- 
standing, doth  in  the  forwardness  of  his  own  will,  and  by 
nis  own  natural  strength,  without  the  influence  and  leading 
,tf  God's  Spirit,  go  about  either  in  his  understanding  to 
imagine,  conceive,  or  think  of  the  things  of  God,  or  actually 
to  perform  them  by  preaching  or  praying.    The  first  is  a 
missing  both  in  matter  and  form  ;  the  second  is  a  retaining  TrueChria 
of  the  fo  rm  without  the  life  and  substance  of  Christianity  ;  ,yj,ereipit 

because  Christian  religion  consisteth  not  in  a  mere  belief  consists 

1       ■  r  r  ,  .  rot. 

of  true  doctrmes,  or  a  mere  performance  of  acts  good  m 

themselves,  or  else  the  bare  letter  of  the  scripture,  though 
spoken  by  a  drunkard,  or  a  devil,  might  be  said  to  be  spirit 
and  life,  which  I  judge  none  will  be  so  absurd  as  to  affirm ; 
and  also  it  would  follow,  that  where  the  form  of  godliness 
is,  there  the  power  is  also,  which  is  contrary  to  the  express 
words  of  the  apostle.  For  the  form  of  godliness  cannot  be 
said  to  be,  where  either  the  notions  and  opinions  believed 
are  erroneous  and  ungodly,  or  the  acts  performed  evil  and 
wicked  ;  for  then  it  would  be  the  form  of  ungodliness,  and 
not  of  godliness  :  but  of  this  more  hereafter,  when  we  shall 
speak  particularly  of  preaching  and  praying.  Now  though 
this  last  be  not  so  bad  as  the  former,  yet  it  hath  made  way 
for  it ;  for  men  having  first  departed  from  the  life  and  sub- 
stance of  true  religion  and  worship,  to  wit,  from  the  inward 
power  and  virtue  of  the  Spirit,  so  as  therein  to  act,  and 
thereby  to  have  all  their  actions  enlivened,  have  only  re- 
tained the  form  and  show,  to  wit,  the  true  words  and  ap- 
pearance ;  and  so  acting  in  their  own  natural  and  unrenewed 
wills  in  this  form,  the  form  could  not  but  quickly  decay, 
and  be  vitiated.  For  the  working  and  active  spirit  of  man 
could  not  contain  itself  within  the  simplicity  and  plainness 
of  truth,  but  giving  way  to  his  own  numerous  inventions 
and  imaginations,  began  to  vary  in  the  form,  and  adapt  it 
to  his  own  inventions,  until  by  degrees  the  form  of  godli- 
ness for  the  most  part  came  to  be  lost,  as  well  as  the  power. 


340 


PROPOSITION  XI. 


Idolatry      For  this  kind  of  idolatry,  whereby  man  lovtth,  idolizeth^ 
rt«  c  wii  °oii-  snd  embraceth  his  own  conceptions,  inventions,  and  pro- 
Miviiigs.     jygj  Qf  jjjg  Q^yij  brain,  is  so  incident  unto  him,  and  seated 
in  his  fallen  nature,  that  so  long  as  his  natural  spirit  is  the 
first  author  and  actor  of  him,  and  is  that  by  which  he  only 
is  guided  and  moved  in  his  worship  towards  God,  so  as 
not  first  to  wait  for  another  guide  to  direct  him,  he  can 
never  perform  the  pure  spiritual  worship,  nor  bring  forth 
anything  but  the  fruit  of  the  first,  fallen,  natural,  and  cor- 
rupt root.    Wherefore  the  time  appointed  of  God  being 
come,  wherein  by  Jesus  Christ  he  hath  been  pleased  to  re- 
store the  true  spiritual  worship,  and  the  outward  form  of 
worship,  which  was  appointed  by  God  to  the  Jews,  and 
whereof  the  manner  and  time  of  its  performance  was  parti- 
cularly determined  by  God  himself,  being  come  to  an  end, 
No  form  of  we  find  that  Jesus  Christ,  the  author  of  the  Christian  reli- 
the'spTrit"'         prescribes  no  set  form  of  worship  to  his  children  under 
[y'chri'st''  ^'^^  more  pure  administration  of  the  new  covenant,*  save 
that  he  only  tells  them,  that  the  worship  now  to  be  per- 
formed is  spiritual,  and  in  the  Spirit.    And  it  is  especially 
to  be  observed,  that  in  the  whole  New  Testament  there  is 
no  order  nor  command  given  in  this  thing,  but  to  follow 
the  revelation  of  the  Spirit,  save  only  that  general  one  of 

•  If  any  objeqt  here,  Tliat  the  Lord's  Prayer  is  a  prescribed  form  of 
prayer,  and  therefore  of  worship  given  by  Christ  to  his  ehihlren: 

I  answer,  First,  This  cannot  be  objected  by  any  sort  of  Christians 
that  I  know,  because  there  are  none  wl)0  use  not  other  prayers, or  that 
limit  their  worship  to  this.  Secondly,  This  was  commanded  to  the 
disciples,  while  yet  weak,  before  they  had  received  the  dispensation 
of  the  gospel ;  not  that  they  should  only  use  it  in  praying,  but  that  he 
might  show  them  by  one  example  bow  that  their  prayers  ought  to  be 
short,  and  not  like  the  long  prayers  of  the  Pharisees.  And  that  this 
was  the  use  of  it,  appears  by  all  their  prayers,  which  divers  stints 
afterwards  made  use  of,  whereof  the  scripture  Tiiakes  mention  ;  for 
none  made  use  of  this,  neither  repeated  it,  but  used  other  words,  ac- 
cording as  the  thing  required,  and  as  the  Spirit  gave  utterance.  Thirdly, 
That  this  ought  to  be  so  understood,  appears  from  Rom.  viii.  26,  of 
which  afterwards  mention  shall  be  made  at  greater  length,  where  the 
apostle  sai'h,  "  We  know  not  what  we  should  pray  for  as  we  ought,  but 
the  Spirit  itself  niaketh  intercession  for  us,"  &c.  But  if  this  prayer  had 
been  such  a  prescribed  form  of  prayer  to  the  cliurch,  that  had  not  been 
true,  neither  had  they  been  ignorant  what  to  pray  for,  nor  shouhl  tboy 
have  needed  the  help  of  the  Spirit  to  teach  them 


OF  WORSHIP. 


341 


meeting  togelhrr;  a  thing  clearly  owned  and  diligently 
practised  by  us,  as  shall  hereafter  more  appear.  True  it  is, 
mention  is  made  of  the  duties  of  praying,  preaching,  and  ^'^V'^  ^ 
singing;  but  what  order  or  method  should  be  kept  in  so  gj^ng'in'sp:- 
doing,  or  that  presently  they  should  be  set  about  so  soon 
as  the  saints  are  gathered,  there  is  not  one  word  to  be 
found  :  yea,  these  duties,  as  shall  afterwards  be  made  ap- 
pear, are  always  annexed  to  the  assistance,  leadings,  and 
motions  of  God's  Spirit.    Since  then  man  in  his  natural 
state  is  thus  excluded  from  acting  or  moving  in  things 
spiritual,  how  or  what  way  shall  he  exercise  this  first  and 
previous  duty  of  waiting  upon  God  but  by  silence,  and  by  To  wait  on 
bringing  that  natural  part  to  silence  .''    Which  is  no  other  what  imb 
ways  but  by  abstaining  from  his  own  thoughts  and  imagi-  performed, 
nations,  and  from  all  the  self-workings  and  motions  of  his 
own  mind,  as  well  in  things  materially  good  as  evil;  that 
he  being  silent,  God  may  speak  in  him,  and  the  good  seed 
may  arise.    This,  though  hard  to  the  natural  man,  is  so 
answerable  to  reason,  and  even  natural  experience  in  other 

things,  that  it  cannot  be  denied.    He  that  cometh  to  learn  A  simile  of 

,  II-  II-  ^  master 

01  a  master,  it  he  expect  to  hear  his  master  and  be  instruct-  and  his 

ed  by  him,  must  not  continually  be  speaking  of  the  matter 
to  be  taught,  and  never  be  quiet,  otherwise  how  shall  his 
master  have  time  to  instruct  him .''  Yea,  though  the  scholar 
were  never  so  earnest  to  learn  the  science,  yet  would  the 
ma.ster  have  reason  to  reprove  him,  as  untoward  and  indo- 
cile, if  he  would  always  be  meddling  of  himself,  and  still 
speaking,  and  not  wait  in  silence  patiently  to  hear  his  mas- 
ter instructing  and  teaching  him,  who  ought  not  to  open 
his  mouth  until  by  his  master  he  were  commanded  and 
allowed  so  to  do.  So  also  if  one  were  about  to  attend  a  Ofapr  nc* 
great  prince,  he  would  be  thought  an  impertinent  and  ira-  vant!"* 
prudent  servant,  who,  while  he  ought  patiently  and  readily 
to  wait,  that  he  might  answer  the  king  when  he  speaks,  and 
have  his  eye  upon  him  to  observe  the  least  motions  and 
inclinations  of  his  will,  and  to  do  accordingly,  would  be 
still  deafening  him  with  discourse,  though  it  were  in  praises 
of  him  ;  and  running  to  and  fro,  without  any  particular  and 
•29* 


342 


PROPOSITION  XI. 


To  wail  in 
■uence. 


The  \Sink 
ing  buay 
eoul eA 
eludes  the 
voice  of 
God. 


Religious 

8pecula- 

tiona. 


Sensual  re 
;reati(  IIS. 


immediate  order,  to  do  iliings  that  perhaps  might  be  good 
in  themselves,  or  might  have  been  commanded  at  other 
time.s  to  others ;  would  the  kings  of  the  earth  accept  of 
such  servants  or  service.''  Since  then  we  are  commanded 
to  wait  upon  God  diligently,  and  in  so  doing  it  is  promised 
that  our  strength  shall  be  renewed,  this  waiting  cannot  be 
performed  but  by  a  silence  or  cessation  of  the  natural  part 
on  our  side,  since  God  manifests  himself  .lot  to  the  out- 
ward man  or  senses,  so  much  as  to  the  inward,  to  wit,  to 
the  soul  and  spirit.  If  the  soul  be  still  thinking  and  work- 
ing in  her  own  will,  and  busily  exercised  in  her  own  ima- 
ginations, though  the  matters  as  in  themselves  may  be  good 
concerning  God,  yet  thereby  she  incapacitates  herself  from 
discerning  the  still,  smaU  voice  of  the  Spirit,  and  so  hurts 
herself  greatly,  in  that  she  neglects  her  chief  business  of 
waiting  upon  the  Lord  :  nothing  less  than  if  I  should  busy 
myself,  crying  out  and  speaking  of  a  business,  while  in  the 
mean  time  I  neglect  to  hear  one  who  is  quietly  whispering 
into  my  ear,  and  informing  me  in  those  things  which  are 
most  needful  for  me  to  hear  and  know  concerning  that 
business.  And  since  it  is  the  chief  work  of  a  Christian  to 
know  the  natural  will  in  its  own  proper  motions  crucified, 
that  God  may  both  move  in  the  act  and  in  the  will,  the 
Lord  chiefly  regards  this  profound  subjection  and  self-de- 
nial. For  some  men  please  themselves  as  much,  and  gratify 
their  own  sensual  wills  and  humours  in  high  and  curious 
speculations  of  religion,  affecting  a  name  and  reputation 
that  way,  or  because  those  things  by  custom  or  otherways 
are  become  pleasant  and  habitual  to  them,  though  not  a 
whit  more  regenerated  or  inwardly  sanctified  in  their  spirits, 
as  others  gratify  their  lusts  in  acts  of  sensuality,  and  there- 
fore both  are  alike  hurtful  to  men,  and  sinful  in  the  sight 
of  God,  it  being  nothing  but  the  mere  fruit  and  effect  of 
man's  natural  and  unrenewed  will  and  spirit.  Yea,  should 
one,  as  many  no  doubt  do,  from  a  sense  of  sin,  and  fear  of 
punishment,  seek  to  terrify  themselves  from  sin,  by  multi- 
plying thoughts  of  death,  hell,  and  judgment,  and  by  pre- 
senting to  their  imaginations  the  happiness  anu  joys  of 


OF  WORSHIP. 


343 


reaven,  and  also  by  multiplying  piayt'rs  and  other  religious  Thougnis 
performances,  as  these  things  could  never  deliver  him  from  °Iid  he'u  to 
one  iniquity,  without  the  secret  and  inward  power  of  God's  ^^'g'' gg"' ^"^ 
Spirit  and  grace,  so  would  they  signify  no  more  than  the  leaves, 
fig-leaves  wherewith  Adam  thought  to  cover  his  naked- 
ness. And  .seeing  it  is  only  the  product  of  man's  own 
natural  will,  proceeding  from  a  self-love,  and  seeking  to 
save  himself,  and  not  arising  purely  from  that  divine  seed 
of  righteousness  which  is  given  of  God  to  all  for  grace  and 
salvation,  it  is  rejected  of  God,  and  no  ways  acceptable 
unto  him  ;  since  the  natural  man,  as  natural,  while  he  stands 
in  that  state,  is,  with  all  his  arts,  parts,  and  actings,  repro- 
bated by  him.  This  great  duty  then  of  waiting  upon  God, 
must  needs  be  exercised  in  man's  denying  self,  both  in-  Denial oi 
wardly  and  outwardly,  in  a  still  and  mere  dependence  upon  ""^  " 
God,  in  abstracting  from  all  the  workings,  imaginations, 
and  speculations  of  his  own  mind,  that  being  emptied  as  it 
were  of  himself,  and  so  thoroughly  crucified  to  the  natural 
products  thereof,  he  may  be  fit  to  receive  the  Lord,  who 
will  have  no  co-partner  nor  co-rival  of  his  glory  and  power. 
And  man  being  thus  stated,  the  little  seed  of  righteousness 
which  God  hath  planted  in  his  soul,  and  Christ  hath  pur- 
chased for  him,  even  the  measure  of  grace  and  life,  which 
is  burdened  and  crucified  by  man's  natural  thoughts  and 
imaginations,  receives  a  place  to  arise,  and  becometh  a 
holy  birth  and  geniture  in  man;  and  is  that  divine  air  in  Thehr  » 
and  by  which  man's  soul  and  spirit  comes  to  be  leavened  ; 
and  by  waiting  therein  he  comes  to  be  accepted  in  the  sight 
of  God,  to  stand  in  his  presence,  hear  his  voice,  and  ob- 
serve the  motions  of  his  holy  Spirit.  And  so  man's  place 
is  to  wait  in  this  ;  and  as  hereby  there  are  any  objects  pre- 
sented to  his  mind  concerning  God,  or  things  relating  to 
religion,  his  soul  may  be  exercised  in  them  without  hurt, 
and  to  the  great  profit  both  of  himself  and  others  ;  because 
those  things  have  their  rise  not  from  his  own  will,  but  from 
God's  Spirit :  and  therefore  as  in  the  arisings  and  niovings 
of  this  his  mind  is  still  to  be  exercised  in  thinkintr  and 
meditating,  so  also  in  the  more  obvious  acts  of  preaching 


344 


PROPOSITION  XI. 


No  Qua- 
kers are 
against  a 
meditating 
mind. 
From  na- 
ture's 
thoughts 
all  errors 
rise. 


The  soul 
renewed, 
by  what  1 
The  holy 
life  of  God. 


Whatever 
man  does 
act  without 
the  power 
of  God  is 
not  accept- 
ed. 


Prov.  xxi.4. 


)«.L  25. 


and  praying.  And  so  it  may  lience  appear  we  are  not 
against  meditation,  as  some  have  sought  falsely  to  infer 
from  our  doctrine ;  but  we  are  against  the  thoughts  and 
imaginations  of  the  natural  man  in  liis  own  will,  froa  vhich 
all  errors  and  heresies  concerning^  the  Christian  relitrion  in 
the  whole  world  have  proceeded.  But  if  it  please  God  at 
any  time,  when  one  or  more  are  waiting  upon  him,  not  io 
present  such  objects  as  give  them  occasion  to  exercise  their 
minds  in  thoughts  and  imaginations,  but  purely  to  keep 
them  in  this  holy  dependence,  and  as  they  persist  therein, 
to  cause  his  secret  refreshment  and  the  pure  incomes  of  his 
holy  life  to  flow  in  upon  them,  then  they  have  good  reason 
to  be  content,  because  by  this,  as  we  know  by  good  and 
blessed  experience,  the  soul  is  more  strengthened,  renew- 
ed, and  confirmed  in  the  love  of  God,  and  armed  against 
the  power  of  sin,  than  any  way  else  ;  this  being  a  foretaste 
of  that  real  and  sensible  enjoyment  of  God,  which  the  saints 
in  heaven  daily  possess,  which  God  frequently  affords  to 
his  children  here  for  their  comfort  and  encouragement, 
especially  when  they  are  assembled  together  to  wait  upon 
him. 

§  XI.  For  there  are  two  contrary  powers  or  spirits,  to 
wit,  the  power  and  spirit  of  this  world,  in  which  the  prince 
of  darkness  bears  rule,  and  over  as  many  as  are  acted  by 
it,  and  work  from  it ;  and  the  power  or  Spirit  of  God,  in 
which  God  worketh  and  beareth  rule,  and  over  as  many 
as  act  in  and  from  it.  So  whatever  be  the  things  that  a 
man  thinketh  of,  or  acteth  in,  however  spiritual  or  religious 
as  to  the  notion  or  form  of  them,  so  long  as  he  acteth  and 
moveth  in  the  natural  "and  corrupt  spirit  and  will,  and  not 
from,  in,  and  by  the  power  of  God,  he  sinneth  in  all,  and 
is  not  accepted  of  God.  For  hence  both  the  "  ploughing 
and  prax  ing  of  the  wicked  is  sin  ;"  as  also  whatever  a  man 
acts  in  and  from  the  Spirit  and  power  of  God,  having  his 
understanding  and  will  influenced  and  moved  by  it, 
whether  it  be  actions  religious,  civil,  or  even  natural,  .  e 
is  accepted  in  so  doing  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  is 
*'  blessed  in  them."    From  what  is  said,  it,  doth  appear 


OF  WORSHIP. 


345 


now  frivolous  and  impeitinent  their  objection  is,  that  say 
they  wait  upon  God  in  praying  and  preaching,  since  wait- 
ing doth  of  itself  imply  a  passive  dependence,  rather  than 
an 'acting.    And  since  it  is,  and  shall  yet  be  more  shown.  To  pray 
that  preaching  and  praying  without  the  Spirit  is  an  offend-  w'iihouTthl 
ing  of  God,  not  a  waiting  upon  him,  and  that  praying  and  j^nggt^ 
preaching  by  the  Spirit  pre-supposes  necessarily  a  silent  God. 
waiting  to  feel  the  motions  and  influence  of  the  Spirit  to 
lead  thereunto  ;  and  lastly,  that  in  several  of  these  places 
where  praying  is  commanded,  as  Mat.  xxvi.  41  ;  Mark 
xiii.  3.3  ;  Luke  xxi.  36  ;  1  Peter  iv.  7,  watching  is  spe- 
cially prefixed  as  a  previous  preparation  thereunto  ;  we  do 
well  and  certainly  conclude,  that  since  waiting  and  watch- 
ing are  so  particularly  commanded  and  recommended,  and 
cannot  be  truly  performed  but  in  this  inward  silence  of  the 
mind  from  men's  own  thoughts  and  imaginations,  this 
silence  is  and  must  necessarily  be  a  special  and  principal 
part  of  God's  worship. 

§  XII.  But  secondly.  The  excellency  of  this  silent  wait-  'II. 
ing  upon  God  doth  appear,  in  that  it  is  impossible  for  the  waiMng*h« 
enemy,  viz.,  the  devil,  to  counterfeit  it,  so  as  for  any  soul  'l^^'' 

.      ,  not  couti 

to  be  deceived  or  deluded  by  him  in  the  exercise  thereof,  terfeit. 
Now  in  all  other  matters  he  may  mix  himself  with  the  na- 
tural mind  of  man,  and  so  by  transformir)g  himself  he  may 
deceive  the  soul,  by  busying  it  about  things  perhaps  inno- 
cent in  themselves,  while  yet  he  keeps  them  from  behold- 
ing the  pure  light  of  Christ,  and  so  from  knowing  distinctly 
their  duty,  and  doing  of  it.  For  that  envious  spirit  of 
man's  eternal  happiness  knoweth  well  how  to  accommodate 
himself,  and  fit  his  snares  for  all  the  several  dispositions 
and  inclinations  of  men  ;  if  he  find  one  not  fit  to  be  en- 
gaged with  gross  sins,  or  worldly  lusts,  but  rather  averse 
from  them,  and  religic^usly  inclined,  he  can  fit  himself  to 
beguile  such  a  one,  by  suffering  his  thoughts  and  imagina- 
tions to  run  upon  spiritual  matters,  and  so  hurry  him  to 
work,  act,  and  meditate  in  his  own  will.  For  he  well 
knoweth  that  so  long  as  self  bears  rule,  and  the  Spirit  of 
God  is  not  the  principal  and  chief  actor,  man  is  not  put 

2t 


346 


PROPOSITION  XI 


Altar.pray-  out  of  his  reach ;  so  therefore  he  can  accompany  the  pries' 
i"dy,"can-  the  altar,  the  preacher  to  the  pulpit,  the  zealot  to  his 
devu'out''^*'  prayers,  yea,  the  doctor  and  professor  of  divinity  to  his 
study,  and  there  he  can  cheerfully  suffer  him  to  labour  and 
work  among  his  books,  yea,  and  help  him  to  find  out  and 
invent  subtile  distinctions  and  quiddities,  by  which  both 
his  mind  and  others  through  him,  may  be  kept  from  heed- 
ing God's  Light  in  the  conscience,  and  waiting  upon  him. 
There  is  not  any  exercise  whatsoever,  wherein  he  cannot 
enter  and  have  a  chief  place,  so  as  the  soul  many  times 
cannot  discern  it,  except  in  this  alone :  for  he  can  only 
work  in  and  by  the  natural  man,  and  his  faculties,  by 
secretly  acting  upon  his  imaginations  and  desires,  &c.,  and 
therefore,  when  he,  to  wit,  the  natural  man,  is  silent,  there 
he  must  also  stand.  And  therefore  when  the  soul  comes 
to  this  silence,  and  as  it  were  is  brought  to  nothingness,  as 
to  her  own  workings,  then  the  devil  is  shut  out  ;  for  the 
pure  presence  of  God  and  shining  of  his  Light  he  cannot 
abide,  because  so  long  as  a  man  is  thinking  and  meditating 
as  of  himself,  he  cannot  be  sure  but  the  devil  is  influencing 
him  therein  ;  but  when  he  comes  wholly  to  be  silent,  as 
the  pure  Light  of  God  shines  in  upon  him,  then  he  is  sure 
that  the  devil  is  shut  out ;  for  beyond  the  imaginations  he 
cannot  go,  which  we  often  find  by  sensible  experience. 
For  he  that  of  old  is  said  to  have  come  to  the  gathering 
together  of  the  children  of  God,  is  not  wanting  to  come  to 
our  assemblies.  And  indeed  he  can  well  enter  and  work 
in  a  meeting,  that  is  silent  only  as  to  words,  either  by  keep- 
ing the  minds  in  various  thoughts  and  imaginations,  or  by 
stupefying  them,  so  as  to  overwhelm  them  with  a  spirit  of 
heaviness  and  slothfulness :  but  when  we  retire  out  of  dl, 
and  are  turned  in,  both  by  being  diligent  and  watc'-.ful 
upon  the  one  hand,  and  also  silent  and  retired  out  of  all 
our  thoughts  upon  the  other,  as  we  abide  in  this  sure  place, 
we  feel  ourselves  out  of  his  reach.  Yea,  oftentimes  the 
power  and  glory  of  God  will  break  forth  and  appear,  just 
as  the  bright  sun  through  many  clouds  and  mists,  to  the 
dispelling  of  that  power  of  darkness ;  which  will  also  be 


OF  WORSHIP. 


34"? 


sensibly  felt,  s(  eking  to  cloud  and  darken  the  rai>i'l,  and 

wholly  to  keep  it  from  purely  waiting  upon  God. 

§  XIII.  Thirdly,  the  excellency  of  this  worship  doth  ni. 

appear,  in  that  it  can  neither  be  stopped  nor  interrupted  by  [^^^  ^^"j,'^, 

the  malice  of  men  or  devils,  as  ail  others  can.    Now  inter-  Quakers 

,  .         .         ,  .  ,  ,  ,  .       not  stopped 

ruptions  and  stoppings  o\  worship  may  be  understood  in  a  or  imer- 

twofold  respect,  either  as  we  are  hindered  from  meeting,  n^en'^or'^^ 
as  being  outwardly  by  violence  separated  one  from  an-  devils.  ^ 
other;  or  when  permitted  to  meet  together,  as  we  are 
interrupted  by  the  tumult,  noise,  and  confusion  which  such 
as  are  malicious  may  use  to  molest  or  distract  us.  Now 
in  both  these  respects,  this  worship  doth  greatly  overpass 
all  others :  for  how  far  soever  people  be  separate  or  hin- 
dered from  coming  together,  yet  as  every  one  is  inwardly 
gathered  to  the  measure  of  life  in  himself,  there  is  a  secret 
unity  and  fellowship  enjoyed,  which  the  devil  and  all  his 
instruments  can  never  break  or  hinder.  But,  secondly.  It 
doth  as  well  appear,  as  to  those  molestations  which  occur, 
when  we  are  met  together,  what  advantage  this  true  and 
spiritual  worship  gives  us  beyond  all  others  ;  seeing  in 
despite  of  a  thousand  interruptions  and  abuses,  one  of 
which  were  sufficient  to  have  stopped  all  other  sorts  of  Chris- 
tians, we  have  been  able,  through  the  nature  of  this  wor- 
ship, to  keep  it  uninterrupted  as  to  God,  and  also  at  the 
same  time  to  show  forth  an  example  of  our  Christian  pa- 
tience tovvards  all,  even  oftentimes  to  the  reaching  and 
convincing  of  our  opposers.  For  there  is  no  sort  of  wor- 
ship used  by  others  which  can  subsist,  though  they  be  per- 
mitted to  meet,  unless  they  be  either  authorized  and  pro- 
tected by  the  magistrate,  or  defend  themselves  with  the 
arm  of  flesh:  but  we  at  the  same  time  exercise  worship 
towards  God,  and  also  patiently  bear  the  reproaches  and 
ignominies  which  Christ  prophesied  should  be  so  incident 
and  frequent  to  Christians.  For  how  can  the  Papists  say 
their  mass,  if  there  be  any  there  to  disturb  and  interrupt  The  wor- 
them  .''   Do  but  take  away  the  mass-book,  the  chalice,  the  ^^''P. 

'  '  rapists 

host,  or  the  priest's  garments,  yea,  do  but  spill  the  water,  ^oon  inter 

or  the  wine,  or  blow  oMt  (he  candles,  a  thing  quickly  done, 


848 


PROPOSITION  XI. 


and  the  whole  business  is  marred,  and  no  sacrifice  can  be 

The  Pro-  offered.  Take  from  the  Lutherans  or  Episcopalians  their 
tesuntstho  ,  .  „  „  t>     t         i  •  l 

like,  and    ^^ilurgy  or  Lommon-Prayer-Book,  and  no  service  can  be 

lists''*'''  R-emove  from  the  Calvinists,  Arminians,  Socinians 

Independents,  or  Anabaptists,  the  pulpit,  the  bible,  and 

the  hour-glass,  or  make  but  such  a  noise  as  the  voice  of 

the  preacher  cannot  be  heard,  or  disturb  him  but  so  before 

he  come,  or  strip  him  of  his  bible  or  his  books,  and  he 

must  be  dumb  :  for  they  all  think  it  an  heresy  to  wait  to 

speak  as  the  Spirit  of  God  giveth  utterance  ;  and  thus 

easily  their  whole  worship  may  be  marred.    But  when 

people  meet  together,  and  their  worship  consisteth  not  in 

such  outward  acts,  and  they  depend  not  upon  any  one's 

speaking,  but  merely  sit  down  to  wait  upon  God,  and  to 

be  gathered  out  of  all  visibles,  and  to  feel  the  Lord  in 

Spirit,  none  of  these  things  can  hinder  them,  of  which  we 

may  say  of  a  truth,  we  are  sensible  witnesses.    For  when 

the  magistrates,  stirred  up  by  the  malice  and  envy  of  our 

opposers,  have  used  all  means  possible,  and  yet  in  vain,  to 

deter  us  from  meeting  together,  and  that  openly  and  pub- 

I'he  suiTer-  jicly  in  our  own  hired  houses  for  that  purpose,  both  death, 

Quakersfor  banishments,  imprisonments,  finings,  beatings,  whippings, 

their  reli-  other  such  devilish  inventions,  have  proved  ineflfectual 

pious  meet-  '  '  _ 

ings.  to  terrify  us  from  our  holy  assemblies.  And  we  having,  1 
say,  thus  oftentimes  purchased  our  liberty  to  meet,  by  deep 
sufferings,  our  opposers  have  then  taken  another  way,  by 
turning  in  upon  us  the  worst  and  wickedest  people,  yea, 
the  very  off-scourings  of  men,  who  by  all  manner  of  inhu 
man,  beastly  and  brutish  behaviour,  have  sought  to  pro 
voke  us,  weary  us,  and  molest  us,  but  in  vain.  It  would 
be  almost  incredible  to  declare,  and  indeed  a  shame,  that 
among  men  pretending  to  be  Christians,  it  should  be  men- 
tioned, what  things  of  this  kind  men's  eyes  have  seen,  and 
I  myself,  with  others,  have  shared  of  in  suffering!  There 
thev  have  often  beaten  us,  and  cast  water  and  dirt  upon 
us  ;  there  they  have  danced,  leaped,  sung,  and  spoken  all 
manner  of  profane  and  ungodly  words ;  offered  violence 
and  shameful  behaviour  to  grave  w-iraen  and  virgins- 


OF  WORSHIP. 


349 


jeered,  mocked  and  scoffed,  asking  us,  if  the  Spirit  was 
not  yet  come  ?  And  much  more,  which  were  tedious  here 
to  relate :  and  all  this  while  we  have  been  seriously  and 
silently  sitting  together,  and  waiting  upon  the  Lord.  So 
that  by  these  things  our  inward  and  spiritual  fellowship 
with  God,  and  one  with  another,  in  the  pure  life  of  righte- 
ousness, hath  not  been  hindered.  But  on  the  contrary,  the 
Lord  knowing  our  sufferings  and  reproaches  for  his  testi- 
mony's sake,  hath  caused  his  power  and  glory  more  to 
abound  among  us,  and  hath  mightily  refreshed  us  by  the 
sense  of  his  love,  which  hath  filled  our  souls;  and  so 
much  the  rather,  as  we  found  ourselves  gathered  into  the 
"name  of  the  Lord,"  which  is  the  strong  tower  of  the  Prov. xvia 
righteous ;  whereby  we  felt  ourselves  sheltered  from  re- 
ceiving  any  inward  hurt  through  their  malice :  and  also 
that  he  had  delivered  us  from  that  vain  name  and  profes- 
sion of  Christianity,  under  which  our  opposers  were  not 
ashamed  to  bring  forth  those  bitter  and  cursed  fruits.  Yea, 
sometimes  in  the  midst  of  this  tumult  and  opposition,  God 
would  powerfully  move  some  or  other  of  us  by  his  Spirit, 
both  to  testify  of  that  joy,  which  notwithstanding  their 
malice  we  enjoyed,  and  powerfully  to  declare,  in  the 
evidence  and  demonstrat/on  of  the  Spirit,  against  their 
folly  and  wickedness ;  so  as  the  power  of  truth  hath 
brought  them  to  some  measure  of  quietness  and  stillness, 
and  stopped  the  impetuous  streams  of  their  fury  and  mad- 
ness: that  even  as  of  old  Moses  by  his  rod  divided  the  The  rod  oi 
waves  of  the  Red  Sea,  that  the  Israelites  might  pass;  so  |)Jded'the 

God  hath  thus  by  his  Spirit  made  a  way  for  us  in  the  midst  ^«a=  'he 

,.  ,  .        .        •  1    ,  ,  ,  •         ,  Spirit 

or  this  ragmg  wickedness,  peaceably  to  enjoy  and  possess  makeili 

him,  and  accomplish  our  worship  (o  him  :  so  that  some-  ,^rJ^„„|| 

times  upon  such  occasions  several  of  our  opposers  and  rzgir^ 

interrupters  have  hereby  been  convinced  of  the  truth,  and 

gathered  from  being  persecutors  to  be  sufferers  with  us. 

And  let  it  noi  be  forgotten,  but  let  it  be  inscribed  and 

abide  for  a  constant  remembrance  of  the  thing,  that  in 

these  beastly  and  brutish  pranks,  used  to  molest  us  in  our 

spiritual  meetings,  none  have  been  more  busy  than  the 

30 


350 


PROPOSITION  XI. 


»Vliat  bru- 

tir.h  pranks 
di(i  not  that 
young  fry 
111  the  cler- 
gy commit  ? 


How  the 
old  cove- 
nant-wor- 
ship doth 
diner  from 
the  new. 


f  he  new 

covenant- 
worship  is 
irw\rd. 
J  'm  xviii. 
»4 


young  students  of  the  universities,  who  were  learning  phi- 
losophy and  divinity,  so  called,  and  many  of  them  prepar- 
ing themselves  for  the  ministry.  Should  we  commit  to 
writing  all  the  abominations  committed  in  this  respect  by 
the  young  fry  of  the  clergy,  it  would  make  no  small 
volume  ;  as  the  churches  of  Christ,  gathered  into  his  pure 
worship  in  Oxford  and  Cambridge  in  England,  and  Edin- 
burgh and  Aberdeen  in  Scotland,  where  the  universities 
are,  can  well  bear  witness. 

§  XIV.  Moreover,  in  this  we  know,  that  we  are  par- 
takers of  the  new  covenant's  dispensation,  and  disciples 
of  Christ  indeed,  sharing  with  him  in  that  spiritual  wor- 
ship, which  is  performed  in  the  Spirit  and  in  truth  ;  because 
as  he  was,  so  are  we  in  this  world.  For  the  old  covenant- 
worship  had  an  outward  glory,  temple  and  ceremonies,  and 
was  full  of  outward  splendour  and  majesty,  having  an  out- 
ward tabernacle  and  altar,  beautified  with  gold,  silver,  and 
precious  stones  ;  and  their  sacrifices  were  confined  to  a  par- 
ticular place,  even  the  outward  Mount  Sion  ;  and  those 
that  prayed,  were  to  pray  with  their  faces  towards  that  out- 
ward temple ;  and  therefore  all  this  was  to  be  protected  by 
an  outward  arm.  Nor  could  the  Jews  peaceably  have 
enjoyed  it,  but  when  they  were  secured  from  the  violence 
of  their  outward  enemies ;  and  therefore  when  at  any  time 
their  enemies  prevailed  over  them,  their  glory  was  darkened, 
and  their  sacrifices  stopped,  and  the  faee  of  their  worship 
marred:  hence  they  complain,  lament,  and  bewail  the  de- 
stroying of  the  temple,  as  a  loss  irreparable.  But  Jesus 
Christ,  the  author  and  institutor  of  the  new  covenant-wor- 
ship, testifies,  that  God  is  neither  to  be  worshipped  in  this 
nor  that  place,  but  in  the  Spirit  and  in  Truth  ;  and  foras- 
much as  his  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world,  neither  doth  his 
worship  consist  in  it,  or  need  either  the  wisdom,  glory, 
riches  or  splendour  of  this  world  to  beautify  or  adorn  it : 
nor  yet  the  outward  power  or  arm  of  flesh  to  maintain,  up- 
hold, or  protect  it ;  but  it  is  and  may  be  performed  by 
those  that  are  spiritually  minded,  notwithstanding  all  ihe 
opposition,  violence,  and  malice  of  men ;  because  it  being 


OF  WORSHIP. 


351 


purely  spiritual,  it  is  out  of  the  reach  of  naturil  men  to  in- 
terrupt or  obstruct  it.    Even  as  Jesus  Christ,  the  author 
thereof,  did  enjoy  and  possess  his  spiritual  kingdom,  while 
oppressed,  persecuted,  and  rejected  of  men  ;  and  as,  in 
despite  of  the  malice  and  rage  of  the  devil,  "  he  spoiled  Col.  ii.  15. 
principalities   and  powers,  triumphing  over  them,  and 
through  death  de.stroyed  him  that  had  the  power  of  death,  Hcb.  ii.  U. 
that  is,  the  devil ;"  so  also  all  his  followers  both  can  and 
do  worship  him,  not  only  without  the  arm  of  fle.sh  to  pro- 
tect them,  but  even  when  oppressed.    For  their  worship 
being  spiritual,  is  by  the  power  of  the  Spirit  defended  and 
maintained  ;  but  such  worships  as  are  carnal,  and  consist  Carnalwor 
in  carnal  and  outward  ceremonies  and  observations,  need  not^'stand 
a  carnal  and  outward  arm  to  protect  and  defend  them,  else  without  the 

,  '  ,         '  arm  ot 

they  cannot  stand  and  subsist.  And  therefore  it  appears,  flesh, 
that  the  several  worships  of  our  opposers,  both  Papists  and 
Protestants,  are  of  this  kind,  and  not  the  true  spiritual  and 
new  covenant  worship  of  Christ ;  because,  as  hath  been 
observed,  they  cannot  stand  without  the  protection  or 
countenance  of  the  outward  magistrate,  neither  can  be  per- 
formed, if  there  be  the  least  opposition:  for  they  are  not 
in  the  patience  of  Jesus,  to  serve  and  worship  him  with 
sufferings,  ignominies,  calumnies,  and  reproaches.  And 
from  hence  have  sprung  all  those  wars,  fightings,  and 
bloodshed  among  Christians,  while  each  by  the  arm  of 
flesh  endeavoured  to  defend  and  protect  their  own  way 
and  worship  ;  and  from  this  also  sprung  up  that  monstrous 
opinion  of  persecution  ;  of  which  we  shall  speak  more  at 
'.ength  hereafter. 

5  XV.  But  fourthly  ;  The  nature  of  this  worship,  which  IV. 
is  performed  by  the  operation  of  the  Spirit,  the  natural  ship^in"*' 
man  being  silent,  doth  appear  from  these  words  of  Christ,  faj,'jigi,*^' 
John  iv.  23,  24  :  '<  But  the  hour  cometh,  and  now  is,  when  by  Christ 
the  true  worshippers  shall  worship  the  Father  in  Spirit  and 
in  Truth :  for  the  Father  seeketh  such  to  worship  him. 
God  is  a  Spirit,  and  they  that  worship  him,  must  worship 
him  in  Spirit  and  in  Truth."    This  testimony  is  the  more 
specially  to  be  observed,  for  that  it  is  both  the  first,  chiefest, 


362 


PROPOSITION  XI 


anc.  most  ample  testimony,  which  Christ  gives  uS  cf  his 
Christian  worship,  as  different  and  contra-distinguished 
from  that  under  the  law.  For  first,  he  showeth  that  the 
season  is  now  come,  wherein  the  worship  must  be  in  Spirit 
and  in  Truth  :  for  the  Father  seeketh  such  to  worship  him. 
so  then  it  is  no  more  a  worship  consisting  in  outward  ob- 
servations, to  be  [terformed  by  man  at  set  times  or  oppor- 
tunities, which  he  can  do  in  his  own  will,  and  by  his  own 
natural  strength :  for  else  it  would  not  differ  in  matter,  but 
The  reaaon  only  in  some  circumstances  from  that  under  the  law.  Next, 
gives  for  a  fo'"  ^  reason  of  this  worship,  we  need  not  give  any 
Spirit"^ other,  and  indeed  none  can  give  a  better  than  that  which 
Christ  giveth,  which  I  think  should  be  sufficient  to  s..tisfy 
every  Christian,  to  wit,  "  GOD  IS  A  SPIRIT,  and  they 
that  worship  him,  must  worship  him  in  Spirit  and  in 
Truth."  As  this  ought  to  be  received,  because  it  is  the 
words  of  Christ,  so  also  it  is  founded  upon  so  clear  a  de- 
monstration of  reason,  as  sufficiently  evidenceth  its  verity. 
For  Christ  excellently  argues  from  the  analogy  that  ought 
to  be  betwixt  the  object,  and  the  worship  directed  there- 
unto : 

Ako.  God  is  a  Spirit ; 

Therefore  he  must  be  worshipped  in  Spirit. 
This  is  so  certain,  that  it  can  suffer  no  contradiction  ; 
yea,  and  this  analogy  is  so  necessary  to  be  minded,  that 
under  the  law,  when  God  instituted  and  appointed  that 
ceremonial  worship  to  the  Jews,  because  that  worship  was 
outward,  that  there  might  be  an  analogy,  he  saw  it  neces- 
sary to  .condescend  to  them  as  in  a  special  manner,  to 
dwell  betwixt  the  cherubiras  within  the  tabernacle,  and 
afterwards  to  make  the  temple  of  Jerusalem  in  a  sort  his 
habitation,  and  cause  something  of  an  outward  glory  and 
majesty  to  appear,  by  causing  fire  from  heaven  to  consume 
The  glory  the  sacrifices,  and  filling  the  temple  with  a  cloud  :  through 
ward^teni-  "I'lJ  t)y  '^vhich  mediums,  visible  to  the  outward  eye,  he 
P'*-  manifested  himself  proportionably  to  that  outward  worship 

which  he  had  commanded  them  to  perform.  So  now 
under  the  new  covenant,  he  seeing  meet  in  his  heavenly 


OF  WORSHIP. 


363 


wisdom  to  lead  his  children  in  a  path  more  heavenly  and 
spiritual,  and  in  a  way  more  easy  and  familiar,  and  also 
purposing  to  disappoint  carnal  and  outward  observations, 
that  his  may  have  an  eye  more  to  an  inward  glory  and 
kingdom  than  to  an  outward,  he  hath  given  us  for  an  ex- 
ample hereof  the  appearance  of  his  beloved  Son,  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  who  (as  Moses  delivered  the  Israelites  out  As  Moses 
of  their  outward  bondage,  and  by  outwardly  destroying  qJj'J^'^^J'j 
their  enemies)  hath  delivered  and  doth  deliver  us  by  suf-  Christ  de- 

.  '  .  •  •  livers  liLs 

fermg,  and  dying  by  the  hands  of  his  enemies  ;  thereby  from  in- 
triumphing  over  the  devil,  and  his  and  our  inward  ene-  ^'"''^ 
mies,  and  delivering  us  therefrom.  He  hath  also  insti- 
tuted an  inward  and  spiritual  worship  :  so  that  God  now 
tieth  not  his  people  to  the  temple  of  Jerusalem,  nor  yet 
unto  outward  ceremonies  and  observations  ;  but  takeih  the 
heart  of  every  Christian  for  a  temple  to  dwell  in;  and  there 
immediately  appeareth,  and  giveth  him  directions  how  to 
serve  him  in  any  outward  acts.  Since,  as  Christ  argueth, 
God  is  a  Spirit,  he  will  now  be  worshipped  in  the  Spirit, 
where  he  reveals  himself,  and  dwelleth  with  the  contrite  in 
heart.  Now,  since  it  is  the  heart  of  man  that  now  is  be- 
come the  temple  of  God,  in  which  he  will  be  worshipped, 
and  no  more  in  particular  outward  temples,  since,  as 
blessed  Stephen  said,  out  of  the  prophet,  to  the  professing 
Jews  of  old,  "  The  most  High  dwelleth  not  in  temples 
made  with  hands,"  as  before  the  glory  of  the  Lord  de- 
scended to  fill  the  outward  temple,  it  behoved  to  be  puri- 
fied and  cleansed,  and  all  polluted  stuff  removed  out  of  it ; 
yea,  and  the  place  for  the  tabernacle  was  overlaid  with 
gold,  Ihe  most  precious  and  cleanest  of  metals ;  so  also 
before  God  be  worshipped  in  the  inward  temple  of  the 
heart,  it  must  also  be  purged  of  its  own  filth,  and  all  its 
own  thoughts  and  imaginations,  that  so  it  may  be  fit  to  re- 
ceive the  Spirit  of  God,  and  to  be  actuated  by  it.  And 
doth  not  this  directly  lead  us  to  that  inward  silence,  of 
which  we  have  spoken,  and  exactly  pointed  out?  And 
further,  This  worship  must  be  in  truth  ;  intimating,  that 
Ihi?  spiritual  worship,  thus  acted,  is  uiilv  and  properly 
30*  2u 


354 


PROPOSITION  XI. 


a  true  worship  ;  as  being  that  wliich,  for  the  reasons  above 
ol)served,  cannot  be  counterfeited  by  the  enemy,  nor  yet 
performed  by  the  hypocrite. 

§  XVI.  And  though  this  worship  be  indeed  very  dif- 
ferent from  the  divers  estabHshed  invented  worships  among 
Christians,  and  therefore  may  seem  strange  to  many,  yet 
hath  it  been  testified  of,  commended  and  practised,  by  the 
most  pious  of  all  sorts,  in  all  ages,  as  by  many  evident  tes- 
timonies might  be  proved.    So  that  from  the  professing 
and  practising  thereof  the  name  of  Mystics  hath  arisen,  as 
A  certain    of  a  certain  sect,  greatly  commended  by  all,  whose  writ- 
tfcs'.'a-'^^^  ings  are  full  both  of  the  explanation  and  of  the  commen- 
Papf/'^^    dation  of  this  sort  of  worship  ;  where  they  plentifully 
their  in-     assert  this  inward  introversion  and  abstraction  of  the  mind, 
cise?  *See'  '^^  ^^^Y  ^^^^  images  and  thoughts,  and  the 

phia^'prfnt"  P'^^^^'^  ^^'^  "  J^'*'  ^^^^  ^^^^  Upon  this  as  the  height 
ed  An.  of  Christian  perfection  ;  so  that  some  of  them,  though  pro- 
Dom.  1657.  fgsj,ej  Papists,  do  not  doubt  to  affirm,  "  That  such  as  have 
attained  this  method  of  worship,  or  are  aiming  at  it,  as  in 
a  book,  called  Sancta  Sophia,  put  out  by  the  English 
The  Eng-  Benedictines,  printed  at  Doway,  Anno,  1657,  Tract  I.,  sect, 
dictine^s"^"  ii-?  cap.  5,  need  not,  nor  ought  to  trouble  or  busy  them- 

testimony    sgjves  with  frequent  and  unnecessary  confessions,  with  exer- 

lor  the  spi-     _  _  '  y  _  ' 

ritual  wor-  cising  corporal  labours  and  austerities,  the  using  of  vocal 

against      voluntary  prayers,  the  hearing  of  a  number  of  masses,  or 

their  (Jevotions,  or  exercises  to  saints,  or  prayers  for  the 

masses  and  . '         .  .  .  . 

8et  devo-  dead,  or  having  solicitous  and  distracting  cares  to  gain  in- 
dulgences, by  going  to  such  and  such  churches,  or  adjoin- 
ing one's  self  to  confraternities,  or  entangling  one's  self 
with  vows  and  promises ;  because  such  kind  of  things 
hinder  the  soul  from  observing  the  operations  of  the  Divine 
Spirit  in  it,  and  from  having  liberty  to  follow  the  Spirit 
whither  it  would  draw  her."  And  yet  who  knows  not  that 
in  such  kind  of  observations  the  very  substance  of  the 
Popish  religion  consisteth  ?  Yet  nevertheless,  it  appears 
by  this,  and  many  other  passages,  which  out  of  their  Mystic 
writers  might  be  mentioned,  how  they  look  upon  this  wor- 
ship as  excelling  all  other ;  and  that  such  as  arrived  here 


tions. 


OF  WORSHIP. 


355 


anto,  hai  no  absolute  need  of  the  others:  yea,  see  the 
Life  of  Balthazar  Alvares,  in  the  same  Sancta  Sophia, 
Tract  III.,  sect,  i.,  cap.  7,  such  as  tasted  of  this,  quickly 
confessed,  that  the  other  forms  and  ceremonies  of  worship 
were  useless  as  to  them  ;  neither  did  they  perform  them  as 
things  necessary,  but  merely  for  order  or  example's  sake. 
And  therefore,  though  some  of  them  were  so  over-clouded 
with  the  common  darkness  of  their  profession,  yet  could 
they  affirm  that  this  spiritual  worship  was  still  to  be  re- 
tained and  sought  for,  even  though  it  should  become 
necessary  to  omit  their  outward  ceremonies.    Hence  Ber-  nard 

1         •  •     1  •   T-i  •    1        ur  n-  preferring 

nard,  as  m  many  other  places,  so  in  his  Epistle  to  William,  the  Spirit 
abbot  of  the  same  order,  saith,  "  Take  heed  to  the  rule  of  plXorderg 
God  ;  the  kingdom  of  God  is  within  you  :"  and  after- 
wards, saying,  Tliat  their  outward  orders  and  rules  should 
be  observed,  he  adds:  <■<■  But  otherwise,  when  it  shall  hap- 
pen that  one  of  these  two  must  be  omitted,  in  such  a  case 
these  are  much  rather  to  be  omitted  than  those  former :  for 
by  how  much  the  Spirit  is  more  excellent  and  noble  than 
the  body,  by  so  much  are  spiritual  exercises  more  profit- 
able than  corporal."  Is  not  that  then  the  best  of  wor- 
ships, which  the  best  of  men  in  all  ages,  and  of  all  sects, 
have  commended,  and  which  is  most  suitable  to  the  doc- 
trine of  Christ?  I  say.  Is  not  that  worship  to  be  followed 
and  performed  ?  And  so  much  the  rather,  as  God  hath 
raised  a  people  to  testify  for  it,  and  preach  it,  to  their  great 
refreshment  and  strengthening,  in  the  very  face  of  the 

world,  and  notwithstanding  much  opposition;  who  do  not.  Those 

,    '       ,      .  ,       o-  ,         ■  •  Mysticsdl.l 

as  these  Mystics,  make  of  it  a  mystery,  only  to  be  attained  confine  tbai 

by  a  few  men  or  women  in  a  cloister  :  or,  as  their  mistake  "^y"'.^'/ 
was,  after  wearying  themselves  with  many  outward  cere- 
monies and  observations,  as  if  it  were  the  consequence  of 
such  a  labour;  but  who  in  the  free  love  of  God,  who  re- 
spects not  persons,  and  was  near  to  hear  and  reveal  him- 
self, as  well  to  Cornelius,  a  centurion  and  a  Roman,  as 
to  Simeon  and  Anna;  and  who  discovered  his  glory  to 
Mary,  a  noor  handmaid,  and  to  the  poor  shepherds,  rather 
than  to  the  high  priests  and  devout  proselytes  among  the 


366 


PROPOSITION  XI. 


Jews,  in  and  according  to  his  free  love,  finding  that  God 
is  revealing  and  establishing  this  worship,  and  making 
many  poor  tradesmen,  yea,  young  boys  and  girls,  witnesses 
of  it,  do  entreat  and  beseech  all  to  lay  aside  their  own 
will-worships,  and  voluntary  acts,  performed  in  their  own 
wills,  and  by  their  own  mere  natural  strength  and  power, 
without  retirino-  out  of  their  vain  imaginations  and  thouij-hls. 
or  feeling  the  pure  Sj)irit  of  God  to  move  and  stir  in  them  ; 
that  they  may  come  to  practise  this  acceptable  worship, 
which  is  in  Spirit  and  in  Truth.  But  against  this  worship 
they  object. 

1  §  XVII.  First,  it  seem  to  be  an  unprofitable  exercise  for 

a  man  to  be  doing  or  thinking  nothing  ;  and  that  one  might 
be  much  better  employed,  either  in  meditating  upon  some 
good  subject,  or  otherwise  praying  to  or  praising  God. 
Answ.  I  answer ;  That  is  not  unprofitable,  which  is  of  absolute 

necessity  before  any  other  duty  can  be  acceptably  performed, 
as  we  have  shown  this  waiting  to  be.    Moreover,  those 
have  but  a  carnal  and  gross  apprehension  of  God,  and  of 
the  things  of  his  kingdom,  who  imagine  that  men  please 
him  by  their  own  workings  and  actings :  whereas,  as 
hath  been  shown,  the  first  step  for  a  man  to  fear  God,  is 
Isa.  i.  16,    to  cease  from  his  own  thoughts  and  imaginations,  and 
We  must    suffer  God's  Spirit  to  work  in  him.    For  we  must  "cease 
cease  to  do  to  do  evil,"  ere  we  "  learn  to  do  well  ;"  and  this  meddling 

tll    6rG  WG 

learii  to  do  in  things  spiritual  by  man's  own  natural  understanding,  is 
^"^"^         one  of  the  greatest  and  most  dangerous  evils  that  man  is 
incident  to  ;  being  that  which  occasioned  our  first  parents' 
fall,  to  wit,  a  forwardness  to  desire  to  know  things,  and  a 
meddling  with  them,  both  without  and  contrary  to  the 
Lord's  command. 
Obj.  2.         Secondly,  Some  object.  If  your  worship  merely  cor.sist 
in  inwardly  retiring  to  the  Lord,  and  feeling  of  his  Spirit, 
Set  times    arise  in  you,  and  then  to  do  outward  acts  as  ye  are  led  by 
Ibr'^mer^-^       '''''^'^^  need  ye  have  public  meetings  at  set  times  and 
""S*-         places,  since  every  one  may  enjoy  this  at  home  ?  Or 
should  not  every  one  stay  at  home,  until  they  be  particu- 
larly moved  to  go  to  such  a  place  at  such  a  time  ;  since  t* 


OF  WORSHIP. 


35"7 


meet,  at  set  times  and  places  seems  to  be  an  outward  ob- 
servation ai  d  ceremony,  contrary  to  what  ye  at  other  times 
assert  ? 

I  answer,  first ;  To  meet  at  set  times  and  places  is  not  A  isw. 
any  religious  act,  or  part  of  worship  in  itself;  but  only  an  Public 
outward  conveniency,  necessary  for  our  seeing  one  another,  "hek'use' 
so  lone  as  we  are  clothed  with  this  outward  tabernacle :  ^"^  reason 

o  _  _  asserted. 

and  therefore  our  meeting  at  set  times  and  places  is  not  a 
part  of  our  worship,  but  a  preparatory  accommodation  of 
our  outward  man,  in  order  to  a  public  visible  worship  ; 
since  we  set  not  about  the  visible  acts  of  worship  when  we 
meet  together,  until  we  be  led  thereunto  by  the  Spirit  of 
God.  Secondly,  God  hath  seen  meet,  so  long  as  his  chil- 
dren are  in  this  world,  to  make  use  of  the  outward  senses, 
not  only  as  a  means  to  convey  spiritual  life,  as  by  speaking, 
praying,  praising,  &c.,  which  cannot  be  done  to  mutual 
edification,  but  when  we  hear  and  see  one  another ;  but 
also  to  entertain  an  outward,  visible  testimony  for  his  name 
in  the  world  :  he  causeth  the  inward  life  (which  is  also 
many  times  not  conveyed  by  the  outward  senses)  the  more 
to  abound,  when  his  children  assemble  themselves  diligently 
together  to  wait  upon  him  ;  so  that  "  as  iron  sharpeneth  Prov  tirM 
iron,"  the  seeing  of  the  faces  one  of  another,  when  both 
are  inwardly  gathered  unto  the  life,  giveth  occasion  for  the 
life  secretly  to  rise,  and  pass  from  vessel  to  vessel.  And 
as  many  candles  lighted,  and  put  in  one  place,  do  greatly 
augment  the  light,  and  make  it  more  to  shine  forth,  so 
when  many  are  gathered  together  into  the  same  life,  there 
is  more  of  the  glory  of  God,  and  his  power  appears,  to  the 
refn'shment  of  each  individual ;  for  that  he  partakes  not 
only  of  the  light  and  life  raised  in  himself,  but  in  all  the 
rest.  A  "id  therefore  Christ  hath  particularly  promised  a 
blessing  to  such  as  assemble  together  in  his  name,  seeing 
he  will  be  "  in  the  midst  of  them,"  Matlh.  xviii.  20.  And 
the  author  to  the  Hebrews  doth  precisely  prohibit  the  ne- 
glect of  this  duty,  as  being  of  very  dangerous  and  dreadful 
conse(|uence,  in  these  words  :  Heb.  x.  24,  "  And  let  us 
consider  one  another,  to  provolvc  unto  love,  and  to  good 


358 


PROPOSITION  XI. 


\8sem- 

oling  of 
ourselves  18 
not  to  be 
neglected. 


Obj.  3. 


Answ. 

In  waiting 
for  the 
Spirit's 
guidance, 
silence  is 
supposed. 


works  ;  not  forsaking  the  assembling  of  ourselves  together, 
as  the  manner  of  some  is  ;  —  For  if  we  sin  wilfully,  after 
that  we  have  received  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  there 
remaineth  no  more  sacrifice  for  sins."  And  therefore  the 
Lord  hath  shown  that  he  hath  a  particular  respect  to  such 
as  thus  assemble  themselves  together,  because  that  thereby 
a  public  testimony  for  hira  is  upheld  in  the  earth,  and  his 
name  is  thereby  glorified  ;  and  therefore  such  as  are  right 
in  their  spirits,  are  naturally  drawn  to  keep  the  meetings 
of  God's  people,  and  never  want  a  spiritual  influence  to 
lead  them  thereunto :  and  if  any  do  it  in  a  mere  customary 
way,  they  will  no  doubt  suffer  condemnation  for  it.  Yet 
cannot  the  appointing  of  places  and  times  be  accounted  a 
ceremony  and  observation,  done  in  man's  will,  in  the  wor- 
ship of  God,  seeing  none  can  say  that  it  is  an  act  of  wor- 
ship, but  only  a  mere  presenting  of  our  persons  in  order  to 
it,  as  is  abovesaid.  Which  that  it  was  practised  by  the 
primitive  church  and  saints,  all  our  adversaries  do  acknow- 
ledge. 

Lastly,  Some  object.  That  this  manner  of  worship  in 
silence  is  not  to  be  found  in  all  the  scripture : 

I  answer;  We  make  not  silence  to  be  the  sole  matter 
of  our  worship  ;  since,  as  I  have  said  above,  there  are 
many  meetings,  which  are  seldom  altogether  silent ;  some 
or  other  are  still  moved  either  to  preach,  pray,  or  praise : 
and  so  in  this  our  meetings  cannot  be  but  like  the  meetings 
of  the  primitive  churches  recorded  in  scripture,  since  our 
adversaries  confess  that  they  did  preach  and  pray  by  the 
Spirit.  And  then  what  absurdity  is  it  to  suppose,  that  at 
some  times  the  Spirit  did  not  move  them  to  these  outward 
acts,  and  that  then  they  were  silent.''  Since  we  may  well 
conclude  they  did  not  speak  until  they  were  moved  ;  and 
so  no  doubt  had  sometimes  silence.  Acts  ii.  1,  befort  the 
Spirit  came  upon  them,  it  is  said,  —  "They  were  all  with 
one  accord  in  one  place  ;"  and  then  it  is  said,  The  Spirit 
suddenly  came  upon  them  ;  but  no  mention  is  made  of 
any  one  speaking  at  that  time  ;  and  I  would  willingly  know 


OF  WORSHIP. 


3&9 


^vhat  absurdity  our  adversaries  can  infer,  should  we  con- 
clude they  were  a  while  silent  ? 

But  if  it  be  urged,  That  a  whole  silent  meeting  cannot  Inst. 
tye  found  in  scripture  ; 

I  answer;  Supposing  such  a  thing  were  not  recorded,  it  Answ. 
will  not  therefore  follow  that  it  is  not  lawful;  since  it  na- 
turally followeth  from  other  scripture  precepts,  as  we  have  silent 
proved  this  doth.    For  seeing  the  scripture  commands  to  ^g^pj."fgj 
meet  together,  and  when  met,  the  scripture  prohibits  prayers  from  scrip 
or  preachings,  but  as  the  Spirit  moveth  thereunto  ;  if  people  reason, 
meet  together,  and  the  Spirit  move  not  to  such  acts,  it  will 
necessarily  follow  that  they  must  be  silent.    But  further, 
there  might  have  been  many  such  things  among  the  saints 
of  old  though  not  recorded  in  scripture ;  and  yet  we  have 
enough  in  scripture,  signifying  that  such  tilings  were.  For 
Job  sat  silent  seven  days  with  his  friends  together  ;  here 
was  a  long  silent  meeting:  see  also  Ezra  ix.  4,  and  Ezekiel 
xiv.  1,  and  xx.  1.    Thus  having  shown  the  excellency  of 
this  worship,  proving  it  from  scripture  and  reason,  and  an- 
swered the  objections  which  are  commonly  made  against 
it,  which,  though  it  may  suffice  to  the  explanation  and 
proof  of  our  proposition,  yet  I  shall  add  something  more 
particularly  of  preaching,  prat  ing,  and  singing,  and  so  pro- 
ceed to  the  following  proposition. 

§  XVIII.  Preaching,  as  it  is  used  both  among  Papists 

and  Protestants,  is  for  one  man  to  take  some  place  or  verse  ,,,,  ^• 
.  '  '  What 

of  scripture,  and  thereon  speak  for  an  hour  or  two,  what  he  preaching 
hath  studied  and  premeditated  in  his  closet,  and  gathered  Protesiantf 
together  from  his  own  inventions,  or  from  the  writinns  and 

°         .  •  .  .  pisls. 

observations  of  others  ;  and  then  having  got  it  by  heart,  as  A  studied 
a  school-boy  doth  his  lesson,  he  brings  it  forth,  and  repeats  hour^o" 
it  before  the  people :  and  how  much  the  more  fertile  and 
strong  a  man's  invention  is,  and  the  more  industrious  and 
laborious  he  is  in  collecting  such  observations,  and  can 
utter  them  with  the  excellency  of  speech  and  human  elo- 
quence, so  much  the  more  is  he  accounted  an  able  and 
excellent  preacher. 


360 


PROPOSITION  XT. 


True  To  this  we  oppose,  that  when  the  saints  are  met  tuge 

byThe  Spi-  '^^^''>  every  one  gathered  to  the  gift  and  grace  of  God 
in  themselves,  he  that  ministereth,  being  actuated  thereunto 
by  the  arising  of  the  grace  in  himself,  ought  to  speak  forth 
what  the  Spirit  of  God  furnisheth  him  with  ;  not  minding 
the  eloquence  and  wisdom  of  words,  but  the  demonstration 
of  the  Spirit  and  of  power:  and  that  either  in  the  interpret- 
ing some  part  of  scripture,  in  case  the  Spirit,  which  is  the 
good  remembrancer,  lead  him  so  to  do,  or  otherwise  words 
of  exhortation,  advice,  reproof,  and  instruction,  or  the  sense 
of  some  spiritual  experiences:  all  which  will  still  be  agree- 
able to  the  scripture,  though  perhaps  not  relative  to,  nor 
founded  upon  any  particular  chapter  or  verse,  as  a  text. 
Now  let  us  examine  and  consider  which  of  these  two  sorts 
of  preaching  is  most  agreeable  to  the  precepts  and  practice 
of  Christ  and  his  apostles,  and  the  primitive  church,  recorded 
in  scripture  ?  For,  first,  as  to  their  preaching  upon  a  text,  if 
it  were  not  merely  customary  or  premeditated,  but  done  by 
the  immediate  motion  of  the  Spirit,  we  should  not  blame 
it ;  but  to  do  it  as  they  do,  there  is  neither  precept  nor 
practice,  that  ever  I  could  observe,  in  the  New  Testament, 
as  a  part  of  the  instituted  worship  thereof. 
3bject.  But  they  allege,  That  Christ  took  the  book  of  Isaiah,  and 
read  out  of  it,  and  spake  therefrom  ;  and  that  Peter  preach- 
ed from  a  sentence  of  the  prophet  Joel. 
Answ.  I  answer,  That  Christ  and  Peter  did  it  not  but  as  im- 

and'PefeA  mediately  actuated  and  moved  thereunto  by  the  Spirit  of 
speaking     God,  and  that  without  premeditation,  which  I  suppose  our 

was  not  l.y  '      .  ^        .       ,  .  ,  , 

premediti-  adversaries  will  not  deny;  in  which  case  we  willingly  ap- 
prove  of  it.  But  what  is  this  to  their  customary  conned 
way,  without  either  waiting  for  or  expecting  the  movings 
or  leadings  of  the  Spirit?  Moreover,  that  neither  Christ 
nor  Peter  did  it  as  a  settled  custom  or  form,  to  be  con- 
stantly practised  by  all  the  ministers  of  the  church,  appears, 
in  that  most  of  all  the  sermons  recorded  of  Christ  and  his 
apostles  in  scripture  were  without  this,  as  appears  from 
Christ's  sermon  upon  the  mount,  Mat.  v.  1,  &c.  ;  Mark  iv. 
1,  &c.,  and  Paul's  preaching  to  the  Athenians,  and  to  the 


OF  WORSHIP. 


361 


Jews,  &c.  As  then  it  appears  that  this  method  of  preach- 
ing is  not  grounded  upon  any  scripture  precept,  so  the 
nature  of  it  is  contrary  to  the  preaching  of  Christ  under 
the  new  covenant,  as  expressed  and  recommended  in  scrip 
ture ;  for  Christ,  in  sending  forth  his  disciples,  expressly 
mentioneth,  that  they  are  not  to  speak  of  or  from  them- 
selve-,  or  to  forecast  beforehand,  but  that  which  the  Spi- 
rit in  the  same  hour  shall  teach  them,  as  is  particularly 
mentioned  in  the  three  evangelists.  Mat.  x.  20 ;  Mark  xiii. 
11  ;  Luke  xii.  12.  Now  if  Christ  gave  this  order  to  his 
disciples  before  he  departed  from  them,  as  that  which  they 
were  to  practise  during  his  abode  outwardly  with  thera, 
much  more  were  they  to  do  it  after  his  departure,  since 
then  they  were  more  especially  to  receive  the  Spirit,  "to 
lead  thera  in  all  things,"  and  to  "  bring  all  things  to  their 
remembrance,"  John  xiv.  26.  And  if  they  were  to  do  so 
when  they  appeared  before  the  magistrates  and  princes  of 
the  earth,  much  more  in  the  worshij)  of  God,  when  they 
stand  specially  before  him  ;  seeing,  as  is  above  shown,  his 
worship  IS  to  be  performed  in  Spirit ;  and  therefore  after 
their  receiving  of  the  Holy  Ghost  it  is  said.  Acts  ii.  4, 
"  They  spake  as  the  Spirit  gave  them  utterance,"  not  what 
they  had  studied  and  gathered  from  books  in  their  closets 
in  a  premeditated  way. 

Franciscus  Lambertus,  before  cited,  speaketh  well  and  Fraiicifcn8 
showeth  their  hypocrisy.  Tract,  v.,  of  Prophecy,  chap.  3,  J^,s"s^teVti- 
sayinpf,  "  Where  are  they  now  that  Sflory  in  their  inven-  "io'?y  , 

•1  r       ■  •      ,      r       ■  -      I     r,„  •    against  the 

tions,  who  say,  a  line  invention!  a  hne  invention!    I  his  priests' siu 
they  call  invention,  which  themselves  have  made  up  ;  but  fjon^'aiid" 
what  have  the  faithful  to  do  with  such  kind  of  inventions.''  figments 
It  is  not  figments,  nor  yet  inventions,  that  we  will  have, 
but  things  that  are  solid,  invincible,  eternal,  and  heavenly; 
not  v\hich  men  have  invented,  but  which  God  hath  re- 
vealed :  for  if  we  believe  the  scriptures,  our  invention  pro- 
fiteth  nothing,  but  to  provoke  God  to  our  ruin."  And 
afterwarls,  "  Beware,"  saith  he,  "that  thou  determine  not 
precisely  to  speak  what  before  thou  hast  meditated,  what- 
soever it  h". ;  for  though  it  be  lawful  to  determine  the  text 
31  2v 


PROPOSITION  XI. 


wh.ch  thou  art  to  expound,  yet  not  at  all  the  interpreta' 
tion  ;  lest  if  thou  so  dost,  thou  take  from  the  Holy  Sj)irit 
that  which  is  his,  to  wit,  to  direct  thy  speech,  that  thou 
inayest  prophesy  in  the  name  of  the  Loro,  void  of  all  learn- 
ing, meditation,  and  experience,  and  as  if  thou  hadst 
studied  nothing  at  all,  committing  thy  heart,  thy  tongue, 
and  thyself  wholly  unto  his  Spirit,  and  trusting  nothing  to 
thy  former  studying  or  meditation ;  but  saying  with  thy- 
self, in  great  confidence  of  the  divine  promise,  'The  Lord 
will  give  a  word  with  much  power  unto  those  that  preach 
the  gospel.'  But  above  all  things  be  careful  thou  follow 
not  the  manner  of  hypocrites,  who  have  written  almost 
word  for  word  what  they  are  to  say,  as  if  they  were  to 
repeat  some  verses  upon  a  theatre,  having  learned  all  their 
preaching  as  they  do  that  act  tragedies.  And  afterwards, 
when  they  are  in  the  place  of  prophesying,  pray  the  Lord 
to  direct  their  tongue  ;  but  in  the  mean  time,  shutting  up 
the  way  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  they  determine  to  say  nothing 
but  what  they  have  written.  0  unhappy  kind  of  prophets, 
yea  and  truly  cursed,  which  depend  not  upon  God's  Spirit, 
but  upon  their  own  writings  or  meditation !  Why  prayest 
thou  to  the  Lord,  thou  false  prophet,  to  give  thee  his  holy 
Spirit,  by  which  thou  mayest  speak  things  profitable,  and 
yet  thou  repellest  the  Spirit  ?  Why  preferrest  thou  thy  me- 
ditation or  study  to  the  Spirit  of  God  ?  Otherwise  why 
committest  thou  not  thyself  to  the  Spirit?" 
2.  The  §  XIX.  Secondly,  This  manner  of  preaching  as  used 

man's  wis-  ^hem,  Considering  that  they  also  affirm  that  it  may  be 
dom  brings  and  often  is  performed  by  men  who  are  wicked,  or  void 

begel  not  *  *'  i-^^     i        i       i  i 

"aith.  or  true  grace,  cannot  only  not  edify  the  church,  beget  or 
nourish  true  faith,  but  is  destructive  to  it,  being  directly 
contrary  to  the  nature  of  the  Christian  and  apostolic 
ministry  mentioned  in  the  scriptures :  for  the  apostle 
preached  the  gospel  "  not  in  the  wisdom  of  words,  lest  the 
cross  of  Christ  should  be  of  none  effect,"  1  Cor.  i.  17. 
But  this  preaching  not  being  done  by  the  actings  and 
movings  of  God's  Spirit,  but  by  man's  invention  and  elo- 
q  lence,  in  his  own  will,  and  through  his  natural  and 


OF  WORSHIP. 


963 


acquired  parts  and  learning,  is  in  the  wisdom  of  words, 
and  therefore  the  cross  of  Christ  is  thereby  made  of  none 
effect.  The  apostle's  speech  and  preaching  was  not  "with 
enticing  words  of  man's  wisdom,  but  in  demonstration  of 
the  Spirit  and  of  power,"  that  the  faith  of  their  hearers 
<«  should  not  stand  in  the  wisdom  of  men,  but  in  the  power 
of  God,"  1  Cor.  ii.  3,  4,  5.  But  this  preaching  having 
nothing  of  the  Spirit  and  power  in  it,  both  the  preachers 
and  hearers  confessing  they  wait  for  no  such  thing,  nor  yet 
are  sometimes  sensible  of  it,  must  needs  stand  in  the  en- 
ticing words  of  man's  wisdom,  since  it  is  by  the  mere  wis- 
dom of  man  it  is  sought  after,  and  the  mere  strength  of 
man's  eloquence  and  enticing  words  it  is  uttered  ;  and 
therefore  no  wonder  if  the  faith  of  such  as  hear  and  depend 
upon  such  preachers  and  preachings  stand  in  the  wisdom 
of  men,  and  not  in  the  power  of  God.  The  apostles  de- 
clared, That  they  "  spake  not  in  the  words  which  man's 
wisdom  teacheth,  but  which  the  Holy  Ghost  teacheth," 
1  Cor.  ii.  13.  But  these  preachers  confess  that  they  are 
strangers  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  his  motions  and  operations, 
neither  do  they  wait  to  feel  them,  and  therefore  they  speak 
in  the  words  which  their  own  natural  wisdom  and  learning 
teach  them,  mixing  them  in,  and  adding  them  to,  such 
words  as  they  steal  out  of  the  scripture  and  other  books, 
and  therefore  speak  not  what  the  Holy  Ghost  teacheth. 

Thirdly,  This  is  contrary  to  the  method  and  order  of  the  3.  True 
primitive  church  mentioned  by  the  apostle,  1  Cor.  xiv.  30,  ^eihodwai 
&c.,  where  in  preaching  every  one  is  to  wait  for  his  revela-  to  speak  by 

,.  1  i        •         1  i.  I-  revelation. 

tion,  and  to  give  place  one  unto  another,  accordmg  as 
things  are  revealed  ;  but  here  there  is  no  waiting  for  a 
revelation,  but  the  preacher  must  speak,  and  not  that  which 
is  revealed  unto  him,  but  what  he  hath  prepared  and  pre- 
meditated before  hand. 

Lastly,  By  this  kind  of  preaching  the  Spirit  of  God,  4.  The  Spi- 
which  should  be  the  chief  instructer  and  teacher  of  God's  out'^y^"' 
people,  and  whose  influence  is  that  only  which  makes  all  priests frora 
preaching  effectual  and  beneficial  for  the  edifying  of  souls,  teacher.* 
is  shut  out,  and  man's  natural  wisdom,  learning,  and  parts 


384 


PROPOSITION  XI. 


set  up  and  exalted  ;  wliich  no  doubt  is  a  great  and  chief 
reason  why  the  preav-hiiig  among  the  generality  of  Chris- 
tians is  so  unfruitful  and  unsuccessful.  Yea,  according  to 
this  doctrine,  the  devil  may  preach,  and  ought  to  be  heard 
also,  seeing  he  both  knoweth  the  truth,  and  hath  as  much 
eloquence  as  any.  But  what  avails  excellency  of  speech, 
if  the  demonstration  and  power  of  the  Spirit  be  wanting, 
which  toucheth  the  conscience  ?  We  see  that  when  the 
devil  confessed  to  the  truth,  yet  Christ  would  have  none 
of  his  testimony.  And  as  these  pregnant  testimonies  of 
the  scripture  do  prove  this  part  of  preaching  to  be  contrary 
to  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  so  do  they  also  prove  that  of  ours 
before  affirmed  to  be  comformable  thereunto. 

Objb:t  §  XX.  But  if  any  object  after  this  manner,  Have  not 
many  been  benefited,  yea,  and  both  converted  and  edified 
by  the  ministry  of  such  as  have  premeditated  their  preach- 
ing ?  Yea,  and  hath  not  the  Spirit  often  concurred  by  its 
divine  influence  with  preachings  thus  premeditated,  so  as 
they  have  been  powerfully  borne  in  upon  the  souls  of  the 
hearers  to  their  advantage 

Answ.  I  answer.  Though  that  be  granted,  which  I  shall  not 

deny,  it  will  not  infer  that  the  thing  was  good  in  itself, 

Paul  perse-  more  than  because  Paul  was  met  with  by  Christ  to  the  con- 

converted^  verting  of  his  soul  riding  to  Damascus  to  persecute  the 

is  therefore  saints,  that  he  did  well  in  SO  doing.  Neither  particular 
persecuting       .  ,    ,  .  ,  , 

goodt  actions,  nor  yet  whole  congregations,  as  we  above  ob- 
served, are  to  be  measured  by  the  acts  of  God's  conde- 
scension in  times  of  ignorance.  But  besides,  it  hath  often- 
times fallen  out,  that  God,  having  a  regard  to  the  sim- 
plicity and  integrity  either  of  the  preacher  or  hearers,  hath 
fallen  in  upon  the  heart  of  a  preacher  by  his  power  and 
holy  influence,  and  thereby  hath  led  him  to  speak  things 
that  were  not  in  his  premeditated  discourse,  and  which 
perhaps  he  never  thought  on  before  ;  and  those  passing 
ejaculations  and  unpremeditated  but  living  exhortations, 
have  proved  more  beneficial  and  refreshing  both  to  preacher 
and  hearers  than  all  their  premeditated  sermons.  But  all 
that  will  not  a  low  them  to  continue  in  these  things  whir^ 


OF  WORSHIP. 


366 


.n  themselves  are  not  approved,  but  contrary  to  the  prac- 
tice of  the  apostles,  when  God  is  raising  up  a  people  to 
serve  him,  according  to  the  primitive  purity  and  spiritual- 
ity ;  yea,  such  acts  of  God's  condescension,  in  times  of 
darkness  and  ignorance,  sliould  engage  all  more  and  more 
to  follow  him,  according  as  he  reveals  his  most  perfect  and 
spiritual  way. 

§  XXI.  Having  hitherto  spoken  of  preaching,  now  it  is  il. 

fit  to  speak  of  praying,  concerning  which  the  like  contro-  Of  prayer, 

versy  ariseth.    Our  adversaries,  whose  religion  is  all  for  outward  u 

the  most  part  outside,  and  such  whose  acts  are  the  mere  '''®"u"j 
r  '  _  guished 

product  of  man's  natural  will  and  abilities,  as  they  can  from  the 
preach,  so  can  they  pray  when  they  please,  and  therefore 
have  their  set  particular  prayers.  I  meddle  not  with  the 
controversies  among  themselves  concerning  this,  some  of 
them  being  for  set  prayers,  as  a  liturgy,  others  for  such  as 
are  conceived  extempore  :  it  suffices  me  that  all  of  them 
agree  in  this.  That  the  motions  and  influence  of  the  Spirit 
of  God  are  not  necessary  to  be  previous  thereunto  •  nnd 
therefore  they  have  set  times  in  their  public  worship,  .is  Thepriestb 
before  and  after  preaching,  and  in  their  private  devotion,  preach  and* 
as  morning  and  evening,  and  before  and  after  meat,  and  fhe^s^^Ct^ 
other  such  occasions,  at  which  they  precisely  set  about  the 
performing  of  their  prayers,  by  speaking  words  to  God, 
whether  they  feel  any  motion  or  influence  of  the  Spirit  or 
not;  so  that  some  of  the  chiefest  have  confessed  that  they 
have  thus  prayed  without  the  motions  or  assistance  of 
the  Spirit,  acknowledging  that  they  sinned  in  so  doing  ; 
yet  they  said  they  looked  upon  it  as  their  duty  to  do  so, 
though  to  pray  without  the  Spirit  be  sin.  We  freely  con- 
fess that  prayer  is  both  very  profitable,  and  a  necessary 
duty  commanded,  and  fit  to  be  practised  frequently  by  all 
Christians ;  but  as  we  can  do  nothing  without  Christ,  so 
neither  can  we  pray  without  the  concurrence  and  assistance 
of  his  Spirit.  But  th^t  the  state  of  the  controversy  may 
be  ^he  better  understood,  let  it  be  considered,  first,  that 

prayer  is  two-fold,  inward  and  outward.    Inward  nraver  ^''^t  "'- 
.     ^  .  t     J      ward  prayea 

IS  that  secret  turning  of  the  mind  towards  God,  whereby,  is. 

31  • 


366 


PROPOSIIIOW  XI. 


being  secretly  touched  and  awakened  by  the  light  of  Christ 
in  the  conscience,  and  so  bowed  down  under  the  sense  of 
its  iniquities,  unworthiness,  and  misery,  it  looks  up  to  God, 
and  joining  with  the  secret  shinings  of  the  seed  of  God,  it 
breathes  towards  him,  and  is  constantly  breathing  fo'th 
some  secret  desires  and  aspirations  towards  him.  It  is  !n 
this  sense  that  we  are  so  frequently  in  scripture  com- 
manded to  pray  continually,  Luke  xviii.  1  ;  1  Thess. 
V.  17;  Eph.  vi.  18;  Luke  xxi.  36,  which  cannot  be  un- 
derstood of  outward  prayer,  because  it  were  impossible  that 
men  should  be  always  upon  their  knees,  expressing  words 
of  prayer  ;  and  this  would  hinder  them  from  the  exercise 
What  out-  of  those  duties  no  less  positively  commanded.  Outward 
wardprayer  pp^yg,.  jg^  when  as  the  Spirit  being  thus  in  the  exercise  of 
inward  retirement,  and  feeling  the  breathing  of  the  Spirit 
of  God  to  arise  powerfully  in  the  soul,  receives  strength 
and  liberty  by  a  superadded  motion  and  influence  of  the 
spirit  to  bring  forth  eitner  audible  sighs,  groans  or  words, 
and  that  either  in  public  assemblies,  or  in  private,  or  at 
meat,  &c. 

Tnward  As  then  inward  prayer  is  necessary  at  all  times,  so,  so 

cessary"at  '^^Y      every  man's  visitation  lasteth,  he  never 

all  times,    wants  some  influence  less  or  more,  for  the  practice  of  it ; 

because  he  no  sooner  retires  his  mind,  and  considers  him- 
self in  God's  presence,  but  he  finds  himself  in  the  practice 
of  it. 

Outward  The  outward  exercise  of  prayer,  as  needing  a  greater 
require  ii*  and  Superadded  influence  and  motion  of  the  Spirit,  as  it 
superadded  g^nnot  be  Continually  practised,  so  neither  can  it  be  so 
readily,  so  as  to  be  effectually  performed,  until  his  mind 
be  some  time  acquainted  with  the  inward  ;  therefore  inch 
as  are  diligent  and  watchful  in  their  minds,  and  much 
retired  in  the  exercise  of  this  inward  prayer,  are  more 
capable  to  be  frequent  in  the  use  of  the  outward,  because 
that  this  holy  influence  doth  more  constantly  attend  them, 
and  they  being  better  acquainted  with,  and  accustomed  to, 
the  motions  o^"  God's  Spirit,  can  easily  perceive  and  dis- 
ctrn  them.    And  indeed,  as  such  who  are  most  diligent 


OF  WORSHIP. 


367 


nave  a  near  t/ccess  to  God,  and  he  taketli  most  delight  to 
draw  them  by  his  Spirit  to  approach  and  call  upon  him,  so 
when  many  are  gathered  together  in  this  watchful  mind, 
God  Joth  frequently  pour  forth  the  Spirit  of  prayer  among 
them  and  stir  them  thereunto,  to  the  edifying  and  building 
up  of  one  another  in  love.  But  because  this  outward 
prayer  depends  upon  the  inward,  as  that  which  must  follow  We  ranr.ot 
it,  and  cannot  be  acceptably  performed  but  as  attended  to  speak"^' 
with  a  superadded  influence  and  motion  of  the  Spirit,  ^""^  P''^y- 
therefore  cannot  we  prefix  set  times  to  pray  outwardly,  so  as 
to  lay  a  necessity  to  speak  words  at  such  and  such  times, 
whether  we  feel  this  heavenly  influence  and  assistance  or 
no  ;  for  that  we  judge  were  a  tempting  of  God,  and  a 
coming  before  him  without  due  preparation.  We  think  it 
fit  for  us  to  present  ourselves  before  him  by  this  inward 
retirement  of  the  mind,  and  so  to  procee<l  further,  as  his 
Spirit  shall  help  us  and  draw  us  thereunto  ;  and  we  find  that 
the  Lord  accepts  of  this,  yea,  and  seeth  meet  sometimes  to 
exercise  us  in  this  silent  place  for  the  trial  of  our  patience, 
without  allowing  us  to  speak  further,  that  he  may  teach  us 
not  to  rely  upon  outward  performances,  or  satisfy  our- 
selves, as  too  many  do,  with  the  saying  of  our  prayers  ; 
and  that  our  dependence  upon  him  may  be  the  more  firm 
and  constant,  to  wait  for  the  holding  out  of  his  sceptre, 
and  for  his  allowance  to  draw  near  unto  him,  with  greater 
freedom  and  enlargement  of  Spirit  upon  our  hearts  towards 
him.  Yet  nevertheless  we  do  not  deny  but  sometimes 
God,  upon  particular  occasions,  very  suddenly,  yea,  upon 
the  very  first  turning  in  of  the  mind,  may  give  power  and 
liberty  to  bring  forth  words  or  acts  of  outward  prayer,  so 
as  the  soul  can  scarce  discern  any  previous  motion,  but  the 
influence  and  bringing  forth  thereof  may  be  as  it  were 
simul  4f  semel:  nevertheless  that  saying  of  Bernard  is  true, 
that  all  prayer  is  lukewarm,  which  hath  not  an  inspiration 
preceding  it.  Though  we  affirm  that  none  ought  to  go 
about  prayer  without  this  motion,  yet  we  do  not  deny  but 
such  sin  as  neglect  prayer ;  but  their  sin  is  in  that  they  arg'^neglecf. 
come  not  to  that  place  where  they  may  feel  that  which  '"g  prayer. 


368 


PROPOSITION  XI. 


would  lead  them  thereunto.    And  therefore  we  question 
not  but  many,  through  neglect  of  this  inward  watchfulness 
and  retiredness  of  rnind,  miss  many  precious  opportunities 
to  pray,  and  thereby  are  guilty  in  the  sight  of  God ;  yet 
would  they  sin  if  they  should  set  about  the  act  until  they 
A.  forward  first  felt  the  influence.    For  as  he  grossly  offends  his 
less  servant  'taster  that  lieth  in  his  bed  and  sleeps,  and  neglects  to  do 
mswersnot  his  master's  business:  yet  if  such  a  one  should  suddenly 

his  duty.  .  .  .  .  . 

get  up,  without  puttmg  on  his  clothes,  or  taking  along  with 
him  those  necessary  tools  and  instruments,  without  which 
he  could  not  possibly  work,  and  should  forwardly  fall  a 
doing  to  no  purpose,  he  would  be  so  far  thereby  from 
repairing  his  former  fault,  that  he  would  justly  incur  a 
new  censure :  and  as  one  that  is  careless  and  otherways 
busied  may  miss  to  hear  one  speaking  unto  him,  or  even 
not  hear  the  bell  of  a  clock,  though  striking  hard  by  him, 
so  may  many,  through  negligence,  miss  to  hear  God  often- 
times calling  upon  them,  and  giving  them  access  to  pray 
unto  him ;  yet  will  not  that  allow  them,  without  his  liberty, 
in  their  own  wills  to  fall  to  work. 

And  lastly.  Though  this  be  the  only  true  and  propei 
method  of  prayer,  as  that  which  is  alone  acceptable  to  God, 
In  times  of  yet  shall  we  not  deny  but  he  oftentimes  answered  the  pray- 
God  d^r    ^'^^        concurred  with  the  desires  of  some,  especially  in 
often  hear  times  of  darkness,  who  have  greatly  erred  herein  ;  so  that 
ers."^  pray   g^^jg  ^j^^j.  j^^^g  ^.^^  down  in  formal  prayer,  though  far 
wrong  in  the  matter  as  well  as  manner,  without  the  assist- 
ance or  influence  of  God's  Spirit,  yet  have  found  him  to 
take  occasion  there-through  to  break  in  upon  their  souls, 
and  wonderfully  tender  and  refresh  them  ;  yet  as  in  preach- 
ing and  elsewhere  hath  afore  been  observed,  that  will  not 
prove  any  such  practices,  or  be  a  just  let  to  hinder  any 
from  coming  to  practise  that  pure,  spiritual,  and  acceptable 
prayer,  which  God  is  again  restoring  and  leading  his  people 
into,  out  of  all  superstitions  and  mere  empty  formalities. 
The  stpte  of  the  controversy,  and  our  sense  thereof,  being 
thus  clearly  stated,  will  both  obviate  many  objections,  and 
make  the  answer  to  others  more  brief  and  easy.    I  shall 


OF  WORSHIP. 


369 


tirBt  prove  this  spiritual  prayer  by  some  short  cormclera-  First, spirit 
•ions  from  scripture,  and  then  answer  the  objections  of  our  proved''^'^ 
opposers,  which  will  also  serve  to  refute  their  method  and  ®'="P" 
manner  thereof. 

§  XXII.  And  first,  That  there  is  a  necessity  of  this  in-  l. 
ward  retirement  of  the  mind  as  previous  to  prayer,  that  n^°,ft  b^^eit 
the  Spirit  may  be  felt  to  draw  thereunto,  appears,  for  that  tomoveihe 
m  most  of  those  places  where  prayer  is  commanded,  watch-  prayer, 
ing  is  prefixed  thereunto,  as  necessary  to  go  before,  as 
Matt.  xxiv.  42  ;  Mark  xiii.  33,  and  xiv.  38 ;  Luke  xxi. 
36,  from  which  it  is  evident  that  this  w'atching  was  to  go 
before  prayer.    Now  to  what  end  is  this  watching,  or  what 
is  it,  but  a  waiting  to  feel  God's  Spirit  to  draw  unto  prayer, 
that  so  it  may  be  done  acceptably .''    For  since  we  are  to 
pray  always  in  the  Spirit,  and  cannot  pray  of  ourselves  Eph.  vL  18 
without  it  acceptably,  this  watching  must  be  for  this  end 
recommended  to  us,  as  preceding  prayer,  that  we  may 
watch  and  wait  for  the  seasonable  time  to  pray,  which  is 
when  the  Spirit  moves  thereunto. 

Secondly,  This  necessity  of  the  Spirit's  moving  and  con-  II. 
currence  appears  abundantly  from  that  of  the  apostle  Paul,  ^rh'o"wT«» 
Rom.  viii.  26,  27:  "Likewise  the  Spirit  also  helpeth  our  PJ^ay^^^^i^^«« 
infirmities  :  for  we  know  not  what  we  should  pray  for  as  helps, 
we  ought;  but  the  Spirit  itself  maketh  intercession  for  us 
with  groanings  which  cannot  be  uttered.    And  he  that 
searcheth  the  hearts  knoweth  what  is  the  mind  of  the  Spirit, 
because  he  maketh  intercession  for  the  saints  according  to 
the  will  of  God."    Which  first  holds  forth  the  incapacity 
of  men  as  of  themselves  to  pray  or  call  upon  God  in  their 
own  wills,  even  such  as  have  received  the  faith  of  Christ, 
and  are  in  measure  sanctified  by  it,  as  was  the  church  of 
Rome,  to  whom  the  apostle  then  wrote.    Secondly,  It 
holds  forth  that  which  can  only  help  and  assi.st  men  to  pray, 
to  wit,  the  Spirit,  as  that  without  which  they  cannot  do  it 
acceptably  to  God,  nor  beneficially  to  their  own  souls. 
Thirdly,  The  manner  and  way  of  the  Spirit's  intercession, 
with  sighs  and  groans  which  are  unutterable.  And  fourthly, 
That  God  receivelli  graciously  the  prayers  of  such  as  are 

2  w 


370 


PROPOSITION  XI. 


presented  and  ofTcred  unto  himself  by  the  Spirit,  knowing 
it  to  be  according  to  his  will.  Now  it  cannot  be  conceived 
but  this  order  of  prayer  thus  asserted  by  the  apostle  is  most 
consistent  with  those  other  testimonies  of  scripture,  com- 
mending and  recommending  to  us  the  use  of  prayer.  From 
which  I  thus  argue, 
♦Ama.  If  any  man  know  not  how  to  pray,  neither  can  do  it 

without  the  help  of  the  Spirit,  then  it  is  to  no  purpose  for 
him,  but  altogether  unprofitable,  to  pray  without  it. 
But  the  first  is  true,  therefore  also  the  last. 

III.  Thirdly,  This  necessity  of  the  Spirit  to  true  prayer  ap- 
ways  b'the  P^'^^'S  from  Eph.  vi.  18,  and  Jude  20,  where  the  apostle 

Spirit,  and  commands  "to  pray  always  in  the  Spirit,  and  watching 
watching  ,  ,     ,     i      •  i  i 

thereunto,  thereunto  ;     which  is  as  much  as  if  he  had  said,  that  we 

were  never  to  pray  without  the  Spirit,  or  watching  there- 
unto. And  Jude  showeth  that  such  prayers  as  are  in  the 
Holy  Ghost  only,  tend  to  the  building  up  of  ourselves  in 
our  most  holy  faith. 

IV.  Fourthly,  The  apostle  Paul  saith  expressly,  1  Cor.  xii 
not'cau"*      •  "That  no  man  can  say  that  Jesus  is  the  Lord  but  by 

Christ  Lord  (he  Hclv  Ghost:"  if  then  Jesus  cannot  be  thus  rightly 
but  by  the  o  J 

Holy  named  but  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  far  less  can  he  be  accept- 
Ghost.       gj^j^  called  upon.    Hence  the  same  apostle  declares,  1  Cor. 

xiv.  15,  that  he  "  wil]  pray  with  the  Spirit,"  &c.  A  clear 
evidence  that  it  was  none  of  his  method  to  pray  with- 
out it. 

V.  But  fifthly.  All  prayer  without  the  Spirit  is  abomination, 
mallear  the  ^^^^       '^''^  ^^e  prayers  of  the  wicked.   Pro  v.  xxviii.  9. 

prayers  of  And  the  confidence  that  the  saints  have  that  God  will  hear 
•  he  wicked.  ....  ,  .  ,.  i  •       -n  n 

them,  IS,  if  they  "  ask  any  thing  according  to  his  will, 

1  John  V.  14.  So  if  the  prayer  be  not  according  to  his 
will,  there  is  no  ground  of  confidence  that  he  will  hear. 
Now  our  adversaries  will  acknowledge  that  prayers  without 
the  Spirit  are  not  according  to  the  will  of  God,  and  there- 
fore such  as  pray  without  it  have  no  ground  to  expect  an 
answer :  for  indeed  to  bid  a  man  pray  without  the  Spirit  is 
all  one  as  to  bid  one  see  without  eyes,  work  without  hands, 
or  go  without  feet.    And  to  desire  a  man  to  fall  to  prayei 


OF  WORSHIP. 


371 


ere  the  Spirit  in  some  measure  less  or  more  move  him 
thereunto,  is  to  desire  a  man  to  see  before  he  opens  his 
eyes,  '^r  to  walk  before  he  rises  up,  or  to  work  with  his 
hand.'  before  he  moves  them. 

§  XXIII.  But  la.stly,  From  this  false  opinion  of  praying  VI. 
without  the  Spirit,  and  not  judging  it  necessary  to  be  jg^g"^' 
waited  for,  as  that  which  may  be  felt  to  move  us  thereunto,  j^^*""'®** 
hath  proceeded  all  the  superstition  and  idolatry  that  is  Spirit, 
among  those  called  Christians,  and  those  many  abomi- 
nations wherewith  the  Lord  is  provoked,  and  his  Spirit 
grieved  ;  so  that  many  deceive  themselves  now,  as  the  Jews 
did  of  old,  thinking  it  sufficient  if  they  pay  their  daily 
sacrifices,  and  offer  their  customary  oblations ;  from  thence 
thinking  all  is  well,  and  creating  a  false  peace  to  them- 
selves, as  the  whore  in  the  Proverbs,  because  they  have 
offered  up  their  sacrifices  of  morning  and  evening  prayers. 
And  therefore  it  is  manifest  that  their  constant  use  of  these 
things  doth  not  a  whit  influence  their  lives  and  conversa- 
tions, but  they  remain  for  the  most  part  as  bad  as  ever. 
Yea,  it  is  frequent  both  among  Papists  and  Protestants,  for 
them  to  leap  as  it  were  out  of  their  vain,  light,  and  pro- 
fane conversations  at  their  set  hours  and  seasons,  and  fall 
to  their  customary  devotion  ;  and  then,  when  it  is  scarce 
finished,  and  the  words  to  God  scarce  out,  the  former  pro- 
fane talk  comes  after  it ;  so  that  the  same  wicked  profane 
spirit  of  this  world  actuates  them  in  both.  If  there  be  any 
such  thing  as  vain  oblations,  or  prayers  that  are  abomi- 
nation, which  God  heareth  not,  (as  is  certain  there  are,  and 
the  scripture  testifies,  Isa.  Ixvi.  3;  Jer.  xiv.  12,)  certainly 
su  h  prayers  as  are  acted  in  man's  will,  and  by  his  own 
strength,  without  God's  Spirit,  must  be  of  that  number. 

§  XXIV.  Let  this  suffice  for  proof.    I  shall  now  proceed 
to  answer  their  objections,  when  I  have  said  something 
concerning  joining  in  prayer  with  others.    Those  that  pray  Concerninf 
together  with  one  accord  use  not  only  to  concur  in  'heir -"p^'^yg^^jj 
spirits,  but  also  in  the  gesture  of  their  body,  which  we  also  -"hers, 
willingly  approve  of.    It  beconteth  those  who  approach 


372 


PROPOSITION  XI. 


before  God  to  pray,  that  they  do  it  with  bowed  knees,  ana 
with  their  heads  uncovered,  which  is  our  practice. 
Obj.  1.  But  here  ariseth  a  controversy,  Whetlier  it  be  lawful  to 

join  with  others  by  those  external  signs  of  reverence,  albei' 
not  in  heart,  who  pray  formally,  not  waiting  for  the  motion 
of  the  Spirit,  nor  judging  it  necessary. 
Amsw.  We  answer,  Not  at  all ;  and  for  our  testimony  in  this 

The  reason  thing  we  have  suffered  not  a  little.  For  when  it  hath  fallen 
.•annoi  join  oLit,  that  either  accidentally,  or  to  witness  against  their 
in  prayer,  worship,  we  have  been  present  daring  the  same,  and  have 
not  found  it  lawful  for  us  to  bow  with  them  thereunto,  they 
have  often  persecuted  us,  not  only  with  reproaches,  but 
also  with  strokes  and  cruel  beatings.  For  this  cause  they 
used  to  accuse  us  of  pride,  profanity,  and  madness,  as  if 
we  had  no  respect  or  reverence  to  the  worship  of  God,  and 
as  if  we  judged  none  could  pray,  or  were  heard  of  God, 
but  ourselves.  Unto  all  which,  and  many  more  reproaches 
of  this  kind,  we  answer  briefly  and  modestly,  That  it  sufficeth 
us  that  we  are  found  so  doing,  neither  through  [)ride,  nor 
madness,  nor  profanity,  but  merely  lest  we  should  hurt  our 
consciences;  the  reason  of  which  is  plain  and  evident:  for 
since  our  principle  and  doctrine  oblige  us  to  believe  that 
the  prayers  of  those  who  themselves  confess  they  are  not 
actuated  by  the  Spirit,  are  abominations,  how  can  we  with 
a  safe  conscience  join  with  them? 
Ob-  2  If  they  urge,  That  this  is  the  height  of  uncharitableness 

and  arrogancy,  as  if  we  judged  ourselves  always  to  pray 
by  the  Spirit's  motion,  but  they  never ;  as  if  we  were  never 
deceived  by  praying  without  the  motions  of  the  Spirit,  and 
that  they  were  never  actuated  by  it,  seeing  albeit  they  judge 
not  the  motion  of  the  Spirit  always  necessary,  they  confess 
nevertheless,  that  it  is  very  profitable  and  comfortable,  and 
they  feel  it  often  influencing  them  ;  which  that  it  sometimes 
falls  out  we  cannot  deny  ; 
A  Haw.  To  all  which  I  answer  distinctly,  If  it  were  their  known 

and  avowed  doctrine  not  to  pray  without  the  motion  of  the 
Spirit,  and  that,  seriously  holding  thereunto,  they  did  no! 
bind  themselves  to  pray  at  certain  prescribed  times  pre 


OF  WORSHIP.  373 

cisel),  ai  wliich  times  they  determine  to  pray,  though  with- 
out the  Spirit,  then  indeed  we  might  be  accused  of  un- 
chantableness  and  pride,  if  we  never  joined  with  them  ; 
and  if  they  so  taught  and  practised,  I  doubt  not  but  it  Shall  we 
wouhl  be  lawful  for  us  so  to  do,  unless  there  should  appear  hy'p(',r"],eg* 
some  manifest  and  evident  hypocrisy  and  delusion.  But  when  pray- 
seeii:g  they  confess  that  they  pray  without  the  Spirit,  and 
seeing  God  hath  persuaded  us  that  such  prayers  are  abomi- 
nable, how  can  we  with  a  safe  conscience  join  with  an 
abomination?  That  God  sometimes  condescends  to  them, 
we  do  not  deny  ;  although  now,  when  the  spiritual  worship 
is  openly  proclaimed,  and  all  are  invited  unto  it,  the  case 
IS  otherwise  than  in  those  old  times  of  apostasy  and  dark- 
ness ;  and  therefore,  albeit  any  should  begin  to  pray  in  our 
presence,  not  expecting  the  motion  of  the  Spirit ;  yet  if  it 
manifestly  appear  that  God  in  condescension  did  concur 
with  such  a  one,  then  according  to  God's  will  we  should 
not  refuse  to  join  also  ;  but  this  is  rare,  lest  thence  they 
should  be  confirmed  in  their  false  principle.  And  although 
this  seems  hard  in  our  profession,  nevertheless  it  is  so  con- 
firmed by  the  authority  both  of  scripture  and  right  reason, 
that  many  convinced  thereof  have  embraced  this  part  be- 
fore other  truths,  which  were  easier,  and,  as  they  seemed 
to  some,  clearer.  Among  whom  is  memorable  of  late  years 
Alexander  Skein,  a  magistrate  of  the  city  of  Aberdeen,  a 
man  very  modest,  and  very  averse  from  giving  ofTence  to 
others,  who  nevertheless  being  overcome  by  the  power  of 
truth  in  this  matter,  behoved  for  this  cause  to  separate 
himself  from  the  public  assemblies  and  prayers,  and  join 
himself  unto  us;  who  also  gave  the  reason  of  his  change, 
and  likewise  succinctly,  but  yet  substantially,  comprehend- 
ed this  controversy  concerning  worship  in  some  short  ques- 
tions, which  he  offered  to  the  public  preachers  of  the  city, 
and  which  I  think  meet  to  insert  in  this  place.  ^  ^  ^ 

I.  Whether  or  not  should  any  act  of  God's  worship  be  tionsof  A. 
gone  about  without  the  motions,  leadings,  and  actings  of  poJe'd  to7i'i 
tlie  Holy  Spirit  ?  preacher* 

2   If  the  motions  oi  the  opirit  be  necessary  to  every  p»r-  deen. 
32 


374 


PROPOSITION  XI. 


ticular  duty,  whether  should  he  be  waked  upon,  that  al 
our  acts  and  words  may  be  according  as  he  gives  utterance 
and  assistance  ? 

3.  Whether  every  one  that  bears  the  name  of  a  Chris- 
tian, or  professes  to  be  a  Protestant,  hath  such  an  uninter- 
rupted measure  thereof,  that  he  may,  without  waiting,  go 
immediately  about  the  duty  ? 

4.  If  there  be  an  indisposition  and  unfitness  at  some  times 
for  such  exercises,  at  least  as  to  the  spiritual  and  lively 
performance  thereof,  whether  ought  they  to  be  performed 
in  that  case,  and  at  that  time  ? 

5.  If  any  duty  be  gone  about,  under  pretence  that  it  is 
in  obedience  to  the  external  command,  without  the  spiritual 
life  and  motion  necessary,  whether  such  a  duty  thus  per- 
formed can  in  faith  be  expected  to  be  accepted  of  God, 

fjtr.  xi\.  L  and  not  rather  reckoned  as  a  bringing  of  strange  fire  before 
the  Lord,  seeing  it  is  performed  at  best  by  the  strength  of 
natural  and  acquired  parts,  and  not  by  the  strength  and 
assistance  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  was  typified  by  the 
fire  that  came  down  from  heaven,  which  alone  behoved  to 
consume  the  sacrifice  and  no  other  ? 

6.  Whether  duties  gone  about  in  the  mere  strength  of 
natural  and  acquired  parts,  whether  in  public  or  private, 
be  not  as  really,  upon  the  matter,  an  image  of  man's  in- 
vention as  the  popish  worship,  though  not  so  gross  in  the 
outward  appearance?  And  therefore  whether  it  be  not  as 
real  superstition  to  countenance  any  worship  of  that  nature, 
as  it  is  to  countenance  popish  worship,  though  there  be  a 
difference  in  the  degree  ? 

7.  Whether  it  be  a  ground  of  offence  or  just  scandal  to 
countenance  the  worship  of  those  whose  professed  principle 
it  is  neither  to  speak  for  edification,  nor  to  pray,  but  as  the 
Holy  Ghost  shall  be  pleased  to  assist  them  in  some  measure 
less  or  more  ;  without  which  they  rather  choose  to  be  silent, 
than  to  speak  without  this  influence? 

Unto  these  they  answered  but  very  coldly  and  faintly, 
tvhose  answers  likewise  long  ago  he  refuted. 


OF  WORSHIP. 


376 


Seeing  then  God  hath  called  us  to  his  spiritual  worship,  Wc  must 
and  to  testify  against  the  human  and  voluntary  worships  ^"Jnegging 
of  the  apostasy,  if  we  did  not  this  way  stand  immovable  to  f'"^  God. 
the  truth  revealed,  but  should  join  with  them,  both  our 
testimony  for  God  would  be  weakened  and  lost,  and  it 
would  be  impossible  steadily  to  propagate  this  worship  in 
the  world,  whose  progress  we  dare  neither  retard  nor  hinder 
by  any  act  of  ours  ;  though  therefore  we  shall  lose  not  only 
worldly  honour,  but  even  our  lives.   And  truly  many  Pro- 
testants, through  their  unsteadiness  in  this  thing,  for  politic 
ends  complying  with  the  Popish  abominations,  have  greatly 
scandalized  their  profession,  and  hurt  the  reformation  ;  as 
appeared  in  the  example  of  the  Elector  of  Saxony;  who,  Elector  of 
in  the  convention  at  Augsburg,  in  the  year  1530,  t)''ing  gc'aii'dal  * 
commanded  by  the  Emperor  Charles  the  Fifth  to  be  present  ^'ven  to 
at  the  mass,  that  he  might  carry  the  sword  before  him,  ac-  ants, 
cording  to  his  place  ;  which  when  he  justly  scrupled  to 
perform,  his  preachers  taking  more  care  for  their  prince's 
honour  than  for  his  conscience,  persuaded  him  that  it  was 
lawful  to  do  it  against  his  conscience.    Which  was  both  a 
very  bad  example,  and  great  scandal  to  the  reformation, 
and  displeased  many  ;  as  the  author  of  the  History  of  the  Secondly, 
Council  of  Trent,  in  his  first  book,  well  observes.    But  ^g^'inst'spi 

now  I  hasten  to  the  objections  of  our  adversaries  against  """"^l  P'^X 

°         er  answer- 

this  method  of  praying.  ed. 

§  XXV.  P^irst ;  They  object.  That  if  such  particular  in-  Obj.  1. 
fluences  were  needful  to  outward  acts  of  worship,  then 
they  should  also  he  needful  to  inward  acts,  as  to  wait,  de- 
sire, and  love  God.    But  this  is  absurd  ;  therefore  also 
that  from  whence  it  follows. 

I  answer ;  That  which  w  as  said  in  the  state  of  the  con-  Answ 
troversy  cleareth  this;  because,  as  to  those  general  duties, 
there  never  wants  an  influence,  so  long  as  the  day  of  a 
man's  visitation  lasteth  ;  during  which  time  God  is  always 
near  to  him,  and  wrestling  with  him  by  his  Spirit,  to  turn 
him  to  himself;  so  that  if  he  do  but  stand  still,  and  cease 
from  his  evil  thoughts,  tht;  Lord  is  near  to  help  him,  &c. 


376 


PROPOSITION  Xt. 


But  as  to  the  outward  acts  of  prayer,  they  need  a  more 
special  motion  and  influence,  as  hath  been  proved. 

Obj.  2.  Secondly;  They  object,  That  it  might  be  also  alleged, 
that  men  ought  not  to  do  moral  duties,  as  children  to 
honour  their  parents,  men  to  do  right  to  their  neighbours, 
except  the  Spirit  move  them  to  it. 

Answ  I  answer ;  There  is  a  great  difference  betwixt  these  ge- 

neral duties  betwixt  man  and  man,  and  the  particular  ex- 
press acts  of  worship  towards  God  :  the  one  is  merely 
spiritual,  and  commanded  by  God  to  be  performed  by  his 
Spirit ;  the  other  answer  their  end,  as  to  them  whom  they 
are  immediately  directed  to  and  concern,  though  done 
from  a  mere  natural  principle  of  self-love  ;  even  as  beasts 
have  natural  affections  one  to  another,  and  therefore  may 
be  thus  performed.  Though  I  shall  not  deny,  but  that 
they  are  not  works  accepted  of  God,  or  beneficial  to  the 
soul,  but  as  they  are  done  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  in  his 
blessing,  in  which  his  children  do  all  things,  and  therefore 
are  accepted  and  blessed  in  whatsoever  they  do. 

Obj. 3.  Thirdly;  They  object,  That  if  a  wicked  man  ought  not 

to  pray  without  a  motion  of  the  Spirit,  because  his  prayer 
would  be  sinful ;  neither  ought  he  to  plough  by  the  same 

ProT  xxi.4  reason,  because  the  ploughing  of  the  wicked,  as  well  as 
his  praying,  is  sin. 

Answ.  This  objection  is  of  the  same  nature  with  the  former, 

and  therefore  may  be  answered  the  same  way ;  seeing 

How  acts  of  there  is  a  great  difference  betwixt  natural  acts,  such  as 

fe^r  ('roin ' "  eating,  drinking,  sleeping,  and  seeking  sustenance  for  the 

•he  Spirit's,  body,  which  things  man  hath  common  with  beasts,  and 
spiritual  acts.  And  it  doth  not  follow,  because  man  ought 
not  to  go  about  spiritual  acts  without  the  Spirit,  that  there- 
fore he  may  not  go  about  natural  acts  without  it.  The 
analogy  holds  better  thus,  and  that  for  the  proof  of  our 
affirmation.  That  as  man  for  the  going  about  natural  acts 
needs  his  natural  spirit;  so  to  perform  spiritual  acts  he 
needs  the  Spirit  of  God.  That  the  natural  acts  of  the 
wicked  ^nd  unregenerate  are  sinful,  is  not  denied ;  though 


OF  WORSHIP. 


377 


tio*  as  in  themselves,  but  in  so  far  as  man  in  that  state  is 
in  all  things  reprobated  in  the  sight  of  God. 

Fourthly  ;  They  object,  That  wicked  men  may,  accord-  Obi.  i. 
ing  to  this  doctrine,  forbear  to  pray  for  years  together, 
alleging,  they  want  a  motion  to  it. 

I  answer ;  The  false  pretences  of  wicked  men  do  nothing  Answ. 
invalidate  the  truth  of  this  doctrine ;  for  at  that  rate  there 
is  no  doctrine  of  Christ,  which  men  might  not  set  aside. 
That  they  ought  not  to  pray  without  the  Spirit,  is  granted ; 
but  then  they  ought  to  come  to  that  place  of  watching,  That  w-.-k 
where  they  may  be  capable  to  feel  the  Spirit's  motion.  negTectthe 
They  sin  indeed  in  not  praying ;  but  the  cause  of  this  sin  []^°"gpj^^jj^ 
is  their  not  watching:  so  their  neglect  proceeds  not  from  to  pray, 
this  doctrine,  but  from  their  disobedience  to  it ;  seeing  if 
they  did  pray  without  this,  it  would  be  a  double  sin,  and 
no  fulfilling  of  the  command  to  pray:  nor  yet  would  their 
prayer,  without  this  Spirit,  be  useful  unto  them.    And  this 
our  adversaries  are  forced  to  acknowledge  in  another  ca.se : 
for  they  say,  It  is  a  duty  incumbent  on  Christians  to  fre- 
quent the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper,  as  they  call  it; 
yet  they  say.  No  man  ought  to  take  it  unworthily:  yea, 
they  plead,  that  such  as  find  themselves  unprepared,  must 
abstain  ;  and  therefore  do  usually  excommunicate  them 
from  the  table.    Now,  though  according  to  them  it  be  ne- 
cessary to  partake  of  this  sacrament ;  yet  it  is  also  necessary 
that  those  that  do  it,  do  first  examine  themselves,  lest  they 
eat  and  drink  their  own  condemnation  ;  and  though  thej 
reckon  it  sinful  for  them  to  forbear,  yet  they  account  it 
more  sinful  for  them  to  do  it  without  this  examination. 

Fifthly  ;  They  object  Acts  viii.  22,  where  Peter  com-  Obj.  5. 
manded  Simon  Magus,  that  wicked  sorcerer,  to  pray; 
from  thence  inferring.  That  wicked  men  may  and  ought 
to  pray. 

I  answer ;  That  in  the  citing  of  this  place,  as  I  have  Answ. 
often  observed,  they  omit  the  first  and  chiefest  part  of  the 
verse,  which  is  th  \s.  Acts  vi'ii.  vers.  22,  "  Repent  there-  may*^ 
fore  of  this  thy  wickedness,  and  pray  God,  if  perhaps  the  pray. 

,  r     1  ■  ,  ,        r        ■  1  WlthoUl 

thought  of  thme  heart  may  be  forgiven  thee :  '  so  here  he  repemanc* 
32*  2x 


PROPOSITION  XI. 


bills  him  first  "  Repent."  Now  the  least  measure  of  true 
repentance  cannot  be  without  somewhat  of  that  inward 
retirement  of  the  mind  which  we  speak  of :  and  indeed 
where  true  repentance  goeth  first,  we  do  not  doubt  but  the 
Spirit  of  God  will  be  near  to  concur  with,  and  influence 
such  to  pray  to  and  call  upon  God. 

Obj  6  And  lastly;  They  object,  That  many  prayers  begun 

without  the  Spirit  have  proved  effectual  ;  and  that  the 
prayers  of  wicked  men  have  been  heard,  and  found  ac- 
ceptable, as  Ahab's. 

Amsw.  This  objection  was  before  solved.  For  the  acts  of  God's 

compassion  and  Indulgence  at  some  times,  and  to  some 
persons,  upon  singular  extraordinary  occasions,  are  not  to 
be  a  rule  of  our  actions.  For  if  we  should  make  that  the 
measure  of  our  obedience,  great  inconveniences  would 
follow  ;  as  is  evident,  and  will  be  acknowledged  by  all. 
Next,  We  do  not  deny,  but  wicked  men  are  sensible  of 
the  motions  and  operations  of  God's  Spirit  oftentimes,  be- 
fore their  day  be  expired  ;  from  which  they  may  at  times 
pray  acceptably ;  not  as  remaining  altogether  wicked,  but 
as  entering  into  piety,  from  whence  they  afterwards  fall 
away. 

III.         §  XXVI.  As  to  the  singing  of  psalms,  there  will  not  be 

Of  singing  j^ggj  gjjy  \on<r  discourse  :  for  that  the  case  is  just  the 
psalms.  .  . 

same  as  in  the  two  former  of  preaching  and  prayer.  We 

confess  this  to  be  a  part  of  God's  worship,  and  very  sweet 
and  refreshing,  when  it  proceeds  from  a  true  sense  of 
God's  love  in  the  heart,  and  arises  from  the  divine  in- 
fluence of  the  Spirit,  which  leads  souls  to  breathe  forth 
A  sweet     either  a  sweet  harmony,  or  words  suitable  to  the  present 
*ound°"'*'"^  condition  ;  whether  they  be  words  formerly  used  by  the 
saints,  and  recorded  in  scripture,  such  as  the  Psalms  of 
David,  or  other  words;  as  were  the  hymns  and  songs  of 
But  formal  Zdchanas,  Simeon,  and  the  blessed  Virgin  Mary.    But  as 
no|round^  for  the  formal  customary  way  of  singing,  it  hath  no  foun- 
inscripiure.  dation  in  scripture,  nor  any  ground  in  true  Christianity: 
yea,  besides  all  the  abuses  incident  to  prayer  and  preach- 
ing, it  hath  this  more  peculiar,  that  oftentimes  great  and 


OB  WORSHIP. 


379 


horrid  lies  are  said  in  the  sight  of  God :  for  all  manner  of  Profane 
wicked  profane  people  take  upon  them  to  personate  the  David'^*** 
experiences  and  conditions  of  blessed  David  ;  which  are  ^°fj,*|gj"'* 
not  only  false,  as  to  them,  but  also  as  to  some  of  more 
sobriety,  who  utter  them  forth :  as  where  they  will  sing 
sometimes.  Psalm  xxii.  14,  —  "  My  heart  is  like  wax,  it  is 
melted  in  the  midst  of  my  bowels:"  and  verse  15,  "My 
strength  is  dried  up  like  a  potsherd,  and  my  tongue  cleaveth 
to  my  jaws ;  and  thou  hast  brought  me  into  the  dust  of  * 
death     and  Psalm  vi.  6,  "  I  am  weary  with  my  groaning, 
all  the  night  make  I  my  bed  to  swim  :  I  water  my  couch 
with  my  tears :"  and  many  more,  which  those  that  speak 
know  to  be  false,  as  to  them.    And  sometimes  will  con- 
fess just  after,  in  their  prayers,  that  they  are  guilty  of  the 
vices  opposite  to  those  virtues,  which  but  just  before  they 
have  asserted  themselves  endued  with.    Who  can  suppose 
that  God  accepts  of  such  juggling?    And  indeed  such 
singing  doth  more  please  the  carnal  ears  of  men,  than  the 
pure  ears  of  the  Lord,  who  abhors  all  lying  and  hypocrisy. 

That  singing  then  that  pleaseth  him  must  proceed  from 
that  which  is  PURE  in  the  heart,  even  from  the  Word  of 
Life  therein,  in  and  by  which,  richly  dwelling  in  us,  spirit- 
ual songs  and  hymns  are  returned  to  the  Lord,  according 
to  that  of  the  apostle.  Col.  iii.  16. 

But  as  to  their  artificial  music,  either  by  organs,  or  other  Artificial 
instruments,  or  voice,  we  have  neither  example  nor  pre- 
cept  for  it  in  the  New  Testament. 

§  XXVIL  But  lastly  ;  The  great  advantage  of  this  true 

worship  of  God,  which  we  profess  and  practice,  is,  that  it 

consisteth  not  in  man's  wisdom,  arts  or  industry ;  neither  No  splon- 

needeth  the  glory,  pomp,  riches,  nor  splendour  of  this  lol-Id'at-*"* 

world  to  beautify  it,  as  bein?  of  a  spiritual  and  heavenly  [^^ 
,    ,       r  -11  inward 

naiure  ;  and  therefore  too  simple  and  contemptible  to  the  worship, 
natural  mind  and  will  of  man,  that  hath  no  delight  to 
abide  in  it,  because  he  finds  no  room  there  for  his  imagi- 
nations and  inventions,  and  hath  not  the  opportunity  to 
gratify  his  outward  and  carnal  senses :  so  that  this  form 
being  observed,  is  not  likely  to  be  long  kept  pure  without 


PROPOSITION  XII. 


the  power ;  for  it  is  of  itself  so  naked  without  it,  that  it 
hath  nothing  in  it  to  invite  and  tempt  men  to  dote  upon  it. 
The  carnal  further  than  it  is  accompanied  with  the  power.  Whereas 
pieases^self.  ^^^'^  worship  of  our  adversaries,  being  performed  in  their 
own  wills,  is  self-pleasing,  as  in  which  they  can  largely 
exercise  their  natural  parts  and  invention:  and  so,  as  to 
most  of  them,  having  somewhat  of  an  outward  and  wo'ldly 
splendour,  delectable  to  the  carnal  and  worldly  senses, 
they  can  pleasantly  continue  it,  and  satisfy  themselves, 
though  without  the  Spirit  and  power ;  which  they  make  no 
ways  essential  to  the  performance  of  their  worship,  and 
therefore  neither  wait  for,  nor  expect  it. 
Thewor-  §  XXVIII.  So  that  to  conclude.  The  worship,  preach- 
Quakers'^  ing,  praying  and  singing,  which  we  plead  for,  is  such  as 
proceedeth  from  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  is  always  accom- 
panied with  its  influence,  being  begun  by  its  motion,  and 
carried  on  by  the  power  and  strength  thereof;  and  so  is  a 
worship  purely  spiritual :  such  as  the  scripture  holds  forth, 
John  iv.  23,  24;  1  Cor.  xiv.  15;  Eph.  vi.  18,  &c. 
Our  ad?fr-  But  the  worship,  preaching,  praying  and  singing,  which 
our  adversaries  plead  for,  and  which  we  oppose,  is  a 
worship  which  is  both  begun,  carried  on,  and  concluded 
in  man's  own  natural  will  and  strength,  without  the  motion 
or  influence  of  God's  Spirit,  which  they  judge  they  need 
not  wait  for ;  and  therefore  may  be  truly  performed,  both 
as  to  the  matter  and  manner,  by  the  wickedest  of  men. 
Such  was  the  worship  and  vain  oblations  which  God 
always  rejected,  as  appears  from  Isa.  Ixvi.  3 ;  Jer.  xiv.  12, 
&c. ;  Isa.  i.  13  ;  Prov.  xv.  29;  John  ix.  31. 


earip?  "'or 
■uip 


PROPOSITION  XII. 
Concerning  Baptism. 

Eph.  iv.  5.  As  there  is  one  Lord,  and  one  faith,  so  there  is  one  bap- 
^  Pel.  111.  j^jgijj .  \Y}^i(.},  js  not  the  putting  away  the  filth  of  the  flesh, 
Rom.  vi.  4.     but  the  answer  of  a  good  conscience  before  God,  by  the 


OF  BAPTISM. 


381 


resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ.    And  this  baptism  is  a  Ga!  "i.  27. 
pure  and  spiritual  thing,  to  wit,  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit  joh./lii'ab 
and  fire,  by  which  we  are  buried  with  him,  that  being  ^ 
washed  and  purged  from  our  sins,  we  may  walk  in  new- 
ness of  life :  of  which  the  baptism  of  John  was  a  figure, 
which  was  commanded  for  a  time,  and  not  to  continue 
for  ever.    As  to  the  baptism  of  infants,  it  is  a  mere 
human  tradition,  for  which  neither  precept  nor  practice 
is  to  be  found  in  all  the  scripture. 

§  I.  I  DID  sufficiently  demonstrate,  in  the  explanation 
and  proof  of  the  former  proposition,  how  greatly  the  pro- 
fessors of  Christianity,  as  well  Protestants  as  Papists,  were 
degenerated  in  the  matter  of  worship,  and  how  much 
strangers  to,  and  averse  from  that  true  and  acceptable  wor- 
ship that  is  performed  in  the  Spirit  of  Truth,  because  of 
man's  natural  propensity  in  his  fallen  state  to  exalt  his  own 
inventions,  and  to  intermix  his  own  work  and  product  in 
the  service  of  God :  and  from  this  root  sprung  all  the  idle  From 
worships,  idolatries,  and  numerous  superstitious  inventions  i^I'rles^ifd 
amons:  the  heathen.    For  when  God,  in  condescension  to  heathen  su. 
1-1  1     1      T  1-1  -I  perstitions 

his  chosen  people  the  Jews,  did  prescribe  to  them  by  his  did  spring. 

servant  Moses  many  ceremonies  and  observations,  as  types 
and  shadows  of  the  substance,  which  in  due  time  was  to 
be  revealed  ;  which  consisted  for  the  most  part  in  washings, 
outward  purifications  and  cleansings,  which  were  to  con- 
tinue until  the  time  of  reformation,  until  the  spiritual  wor- 
ship should  be  set  up  ;  and  that  God,  by  the  more  plentiful 
pouring  forth  of  his  Spirit,  and  guiding  of  that  anointing, 
should  lead  his  children  into  all  truth,  and  teach  them  to 
worship  him  in  a  way  more  spiritual  and  acceptable  to 
him,  though  less  agreeable  to  the  carnal  and  outward 
senses;  yet  notwithstanding  God's  condescension  to  the 
Jews  in  such  things,  we  see  that  that  part  in  man,  which 
delights  to  follow  its  own  inventions,  could  not  be  re- 
strained, nor  yet  satisfied  with  all  these  observations,  but 
that  oftentimes  they  would  be  either  declining  to  the  other 
superstitions  of  the  Gentiles,  or  adding  some  new  obser- 


382 


PROPOSITION  XIT. 


l  lie  I'hari 
•ees  I  he 

chielest 
airioiig  the 
Jews. 


Many 
rhings  in 
Christen- 
dom are 
borrowed 
from  the 
Jews  and 
Gentiles. 


Of  sacra- 
ments 80 
many  con- 
tioversies. 


vations  and  ceremonies  of  their  own  ;  to  which  they  were 
so  devoted,  that  they  were  still  a[)X  to  prefer  them  before 
the  commands  of  God,  and  that  under  the  notion  of  zea 
and  piety.  This  we  see  abundantly  in  the  example  of  the 
Pharisees,  the  chiefest  sect  among  the  Jews,  whom  Christ 
so  frequently  reproves  for  making  void  the  command- 
ments of  God  by  their  traditions.  Mat.  xv.  6,  0,  &c. 
This  complaint  may  at  this  day  be  no  less  justly  made  as 
to  many  bearing  the  name  of  Christians,  who  have  intro- 
duced many  things  of  this  kind,  partly  borrowed  from  the 
Jews,  which  they  more  tenaciously  stick  to,  and  more  ear- 
nestly contend  for,  than  for  the  weightier  points  of  Chris- 
tianity;  because  that  self,  yet  alive,  and  ruling  in  them, 
loves  their  own  inventions  better  than  God's  commands. 
But  if  they  can  by  any  means  stretch  any  scripture  prac- 
tice, or  conditional  precept  or  permission,  fitted  to  the 
weakness  or  capacity  of  some,  or  appro})riate  to  some  par- 
ticular dispensation,  to  give  some  colour  for  any  of  these 
their  inventions  ;  they  do  then  so  tenaciously  stick  to  them, 
and  so  obstinately  and  obstreperously  plead  for  them,  that 
they  will  not  patiently  hear  the  most  solid  Christian  reasons 
against  them.  Which  zeal,  if  they  would  but  seriously 
examine  it,  they  would  find  to  be  but  the  prejudice  of  edu- 
cation, and  the  love  of  self,  more  than  that  of  God,  or  his 
pure  worship.  This  is  verified  concerning  those  things 
which  are  called  sacraments,  about  which  they  are  very 
ignorant  in  religious  controversies,  who  understand  not 
how  much  debate,  contention,  jangling,  and  quarrelling 
there  has  been  among  those  called  Christians  :  so  that  I 
may  safely  say  the  controversy  about  them,  to  wit,  about 
their  number,  nature,  virtue,  efficacy,  administration,  and 
other  things,  hath  been  more  than  about  any  other  doctrine 
of  Christ,  whether  as  betwixt  Papists  and  Protestants,  or 
among  Protestants  betwixt  themselves.  And  how  great 
prejudice  these  controversies  have  brought  to  Christians  is 
very  obvious ;  whereas  the  things  contended  for  among 
them  are  for  the  most  part  but  empty  shadows,  and  mere 


OF  BAPTISM. 


383 


outside  things :  as  I  hope  hereafter  to  make  appear  to  the 
patient  and  unprejudicate  reader. 

§  II.  Tliat  which  comes  first  under  observation,  is  the  ','he  name 
name  sacrament,  which  it  is  strange  that  Christians  should  °,',entYnoi 
stick  to  and  contend  so  mucli  for,  since  it  is  not  to  be  '""'"^ 

,  ,   „  scripture) 

found  in  all  the  scripture;  but  was  borrowed  from  the  is  borrow.  J 
luilitary  oaths  among  the  heathen,  from  whom  the  Chris-  '[emh'eif. 
tians,  when  they  began  to  apostatize,  did  borrow  many 
superstitious  terms  and  observations,  that  they  might 
thereby  ingratiate  themselves,  and  the  more  easily  gain  the 
heathen  to  their  religion  ;  which  practice,  though  perhaps 
intended  by  them  for  good,  yet,  as  being  the  fruit  of  human 
policy,  and  not  according  to  God's  wisdom,  has  had  very 
pernicious  consequences.  I  see  not  how  any,  whether 
Papi.''ts  or  Protestants,  especially  the  latter,  can  in  reason 
quarrel  with  us  for  denying  this  term,  which  it  seems  the 
Spirit  of  God  saw  not  meet  to  inspire  the  penmen  of  the 
scriptures  to  leave  unto  us. 

But  if  it  be  said.  That  it  is  not  the  name,  but  the  thing  Obj.  i.  . 
they  contend  for ; 

I  answer ;  Let  the  name  then,  as  not  being  scriptural,  be  Answ. 
laid  aside,  and  we  shall  see  at  first  entrance  how  much 
benefit  will  redound  by  laying  aside  this  traditional  term, 
and  betaking  us  to  plainness  of  scripture  language.  For 
presently  the  great  contest  about  the  number  of  them  will 
vanish  ;  seeing  there  is  no  term  used  in  scripture  that  can 
be  made  use  of,  whether  we  call  them  institutions,  ordi- 
nances, precepts,  commandments,  appointments,  or  laws, 
&c.,  that  would  afford  ground  for  such  a  debate;  since 
neither  will  Papists  affirm,  that  there  are  only  seven,  or 
Protestants  only  two,  of  any  of  these  afore  mentioned. 

If  it  be  said,  That  this  controversy  arises  from  the  defi-  Obi.  2. 
i.;tion  of  the  thing,  as  well  as  from  the  name ; 

It  will  be  found  otherwise  :  for  whatever  way  we  take  Answ. 
their  definition  of  a  sacrament,  whether  as  an  outward  tbn  of*«.' 
visible  sign,  whereby  inward  grace  is  conferred,  or  only  cranient 
signified,  this  definition  will  agree  to  many  things,  which  many  othoi 
Deither  Papists  nor  Protestants  will  acknowledge  to  be 


3S4 


PROPOSITION  XII. 


sacraments.    If  they  be  expressed  under  the  name  of  seal- 
ing ordinances,  as  by  some  they  are,  I  could  never  see, 
either  by  reason  or  scripture,  how  this  title  could  be  ap- 
propriate to  them  more  than  to  any  other  Christian,  re- 
•Vhaineal-  ligious  performance:  for  that  must  needs  properly  be  a 
liance  doth  sealing  ordinance,  which  makes  the  persons  receiving  it 
mean.        infallibly  certain  of  the  promise  or  thing  sealed  to  them. 
Obj.  3.  If  it  be  said,  It  is  so  to  them  that  are  faithful ; 

Amsw.  I  answer ;  So  is  praying  and  preaching,  and  doing  of 

every  good  work.  Seeing  the  partaking  or  performing  of 
the  one  gives  not  to  any  a  more  certain  title  to  heaven, 
yea,  in  some  respect,  not  so  much,  there  is  no  reason  to 
call  them  so,  more  than  the  other. 

Besides,  we  find  not  any  thing  called  the  seal  and  pledge 
of  our  inheritance,  but  the  Spirit  of  God.  It  is  by  that 
we  are  said  to  be  sealed,  Eph.  i.  14,  and  iv.  30,  which  is 
also  termed  the  "earnest  of  our  inheritance,"  2  Cor.  i.  22, 
and  not  by  outward  water,  or  eating  and  drinking ;  which 
as  the  wickedest  of  men  may  partake  of,  so  many  that  do. 
That  out-  do,  notwithstanding  it,  go  to  perdition.  For  it  is  not  out- 
Jn^doTh^^'  ^^''^'"'^  washing  whh  water  that  maketh  the  heart  clean,  by 

not  cleanse  which  men  are  fitted  for  heaven  ;  and  as  that  which  goeth 
the  heart.     .  .     ,    i  ,  m  ,  •  • 

into  the  mouth  doth  not  dehle  a  man,  because  it  is  put 

forth  again,  and  so  goelh  to  the  dunghill ;  neither  doth  any 
thing  which  man  eateth  purify  him,  or  fit  him  for  heaven. 
What  is  said  here  in  general  may  serve  for  an  introduction, 
not  only  to  this  proposition,  but  also  to  the  other  concern- 
ing the  supper.  Of  these  sacraments  (so  called)  baptism 
is  always  first  numbered,  which  is  the  subject  of  the  pre- 
sent proposition  ;  in  whose  explanation  I  shall  first  demon- 
strate and  prove  our  judgment,  and  then  answer  the  objec- 
tions, and  refute  the  sentiments  of  our  opposers.  As  to 
Part  I.  the  first  part,  these  things  following,  which  are  briefly  com- 
prehended in  the  proposition,  come  to  be  proposed  and 
proved. 

Pbop.  1.        §  in.  First :  There  is  but  one  baptism,  as  well  as  but 

one  Lord,  one  faith,  &c. 
P»op.  II        Secondly,  That  ihis  one  baptism,  which  is  the  baptism 


OF  BAPTISM. 


of  Christ,  is  not  a  washing  with,  or  dipping  in  water,  bul 
a  being  baptized  by  the  Spirit. 

Thirdly,  That  the  baptism  of  John  was  but  a  figure  of  Prop.  Ill 
this ;  and  therefore,  as  the  figure,  to  give  place  to  the  sub- 
stance ;  which  though  it  be  to  continue,  yet  the  other 
oeaselh. 

As  for  the  first,  viz.,  That  there  is  but  one  baptism.  Prop.  1. 
then  needs  no  other  proof  than  the  words  of  the  text,  [j^JJ^ 
Eph.  iv.  5  :  "  One  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism  :"  where  Proved, 
the  apostle  positively  and  plainly  affirms,  that  as  there  is 
but  one  body,  one  Spirit,  one  faith,  one  God,  &c.,  so 
there  is  but  "  one  baptism." 

As  to  what  is  commonly  alleged  by  way  of  explanation  Obj.  1. 
upon  the  text.  That  the  baptism  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit 
make  up  this  one  baptism,  by  virtue  of  the  sacramental 
union  ; 

I  answer ;  This  exposition  hath  taken  place,  not  because  Answ. 
grounded  upon  the  testimony  of  the  scripture,  but  because 
it  wrests  the  scripture  to  make  it  suit  to  their  principle  of 
water  baptism  ;  and  so  there  needs  no  other  reply,  but  to 
deny  it,  as  being  repugnant  to  the  plain  words  of  the  text ; 
which  saith  not,  that  there  are  two  baptisms,  to  wit,  one  of  Wheiner 
water,  the  other  of  the  Spirit,  which  do  make  up  one  bap-  {,^^a^ake 
tism  ;  but  plainly,  that  there  is  one  baptism,  a?  there  is  one  up  the  one. 
faith,  and  one  God.    Now  as  there  go  not  two  faiths,  nor 
two  Gods,  nor  two  Spirits,  nor  two  bodies,  whereof  the  one 
is  outward  and  elementary,  and  the  other  spiritual  and 
pure,  to  the  making  up  the  one  faith,  the  one  God,  the  one 
body,  and  the  one  Spirit ;  so  neither  ought  there  to  go  two 
baptisms  to  make  up  the  one  baptism. 

But  secondly,  if  it  be  said.  The  baptism  is  but  one,  Obj.  2. 
whereof  water  is  the  one  part,  to  wit,  the  sign  ;  and  the 
Spirit,  the  thing  signified,  the  other  ; 

I  answer ;  This  yet  more  confirmeth  our  doctrine :  for  if  Answ. 

w  ater  be  only  the  sign,  it  is  not  the  matter  of  the  one  bap-  Jhe^type,*" 

tism  (as  shall  further  hereafter  by  its  definition  in  scripture  'he  sub- 

,  stance  muit 

appear),  and  we  are  to  take  the  one  baptism  for  the  matter  remain. 

of  it,  not  for  the  sign,  or  figure  and  ty{)e  that  went  before. 

33  2  V 


38G 


PROPOSITION  XII. 


Ever  as  where  Christ  is  called  the  one  offering  in  scriptuie, 
though  he  was  typified  by  many  sacrifices  and  ofTerings 
under  the  law,  we  understand  only  by  the  one  oflfering,  his 
oflering  himself  upon  the  cross ;  whereof  though  those 
many  oflferings  were  signs  and  types,  yet  we  say  not  that 
they  go  together  with  that  offering  of  Christ,  to  make  up 
;  the  one  offering :  so  neither,  though  water  baptism  was  a 

sign  of  Christ's  baptism,  will  it  follow,  that  it  goeth  now 
to  make  up  the  baptism  of  Christ.  If  any  should  be  so 
absurd  as  to  affirm,  That  this  one  baptism  here  was  the 
baptism  of  water,  and  not  of  the  Spirit;  that  were  foolishly 
to  contradict  the  positive  testimony  of  the  scripture,  which 
saith  the  contrary  ;  as  by  what  followeth  will  more  amply 
appear. 

PBor.  II.  Secondly,  That  this  one  baptism,  which  is  the  baptism 
of  Christ,  is  not  a  washing  with  water,  appears,  first,  from 
PRor?  I.  the  testimony  of  John,  the  proper  and  peculiar  administra- 
The  differ-  tor  of  water  baptism.  Mat.  iii.  11,  "  I  indeed  baptize  you 
tween^*  water  unto  repentance  ;  but  he  that  corneth  after  me 

John's  bap-  is  mightier  than  I,  whose  shoes  I  am  not  worthy  to  bear; 
Christ's,  'le  shall  baptize  you  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  with  fire 
Here  John  mentions  two  manners  of  baptizing,  and  two 
different  baptisms ;  the  one  with  water,  and  the  other  with 
the  Spirit;  the  one  whereof  he  was  the  minister  of;  the 
other  whereof  Christ  was  the  minister  of :  and  such  as  were 
baptized  with  the  first,  were  not  therefore  baptized  with  the 
second :  I  indeed  baptize  you,  but  he  shall  baptize  you. 
Though  in  the  present  time  they  were  baptized  with  the 
baptism  of  water ;  yet  they  were  not  as  yet,  but  were  to 
be,  baptized  with  the  baptism  of  Christ.  From  all  which 
I  thus  argue : 

Abo.  1.  If  those  that  were  baptized  with  the  baptism  of  water, 
were  not  therefore  baptized  with  the  baptism  of  Christ ; 
then  the  baptism  of  water  is  not  the  baptism  of  Christ : 

But  the  first  is  true  ; 

Therefore  also  the  last. 
And  aa:ain, 

A««.  2.         If  he,  that  truly  and  really  administered  the  baptism  of 


OF  BAPTISM. 


38*. 


water,  did  notwithstanding  declare,  that  he  neither  cc  uld, 
nor  did,  baptize  with  the  baptism  of  Christ ;  then  the  bap- 
tism of  water  is  not  the  baptism  of  Christ : 

But  the  first  is  true  ; 

Therefore,  &c. 

And  indeed  to  understand  it  otherwise,  would  make 
John's  words  void  of  good  sense:  for  if  their  baptisms  had 
beer  all  one,  why  should  he  have  so  precisely  contra-dis- 
unguished  them?  Why  should  he  have  said,  that  those 
whom  he  had  already  baptized,  should  yet  be  baptized 
with  another  baptism  ? 

If  it  be  urged.  That  baptism  with  water  was  the  one  Oliect. 
part,  and  that  with  the  Spirit  the  other  part,  or  effect  only 
of  the  former ; 

I  answer ;  This  exposition  contradicts  the  plain  words  Answ. 
of  the  text.    For  he  saith  not,  I.  baptize  you  with  water,  One  bap- 
and  he  that  cometh  after  me  shall  produce  the  effects  of 
this  my  baptism  in  you  by  the  Spirit,  &c.,  or  he  shall  ac-  effect  ot 
complish  this  baptism  in  you  ;  but,  He  shall  baptize  you. 
So  then,  if  we  understand  the  words  truly  and  properly, 
when  he  saith,  I  baptize  you,  as  consenting  that  thereby  is 
really  signified  that  he  did  baptize  with  the  baptism  of 
water ;  we  must  needs,  unless  we  offer  violence  to  the  text, 
understand  the  other  part  of  the  sentence  the  same  way  ; 
viz.,  where  he  adds  presently,  "  But  he  shall  baptize  you," 
&c.,  that  he  understood  it  of  their  being  truly  to  be  bap- 
tized with  another  baptism,  than  what  he  did  baptize  with : 
else  it  had  been  nonsense  for  him  thus  to  have  contra-dis- 
tinguished them. 

Secondly,  This  is  further  confirmed  by  the  saying  of  Proof  II. 
Christ  himself.  Acts  i.  4,  5,  "  But  wait  for  the  promise  of 
the  Father,  which,  saith  he,  ye  have  heard  of  me  :  for  John  who  were 
truly  baptized  with  water,  but  ye  shall  be  baptized  with  the  jXrwere' 
Holy  Ghost  not  many  days  hence."  There  can  scarce  two  still  to  war 
places  of  scripture  run  more  parallel  than  this  doth  with  the  baptism  ' 
former,  a  little  before  mentioned  ;  and  therefore  concludeth  ^pil?i/'"' 
the  same  way  as  did  the  other.    For  Christ  hero  grants 
fully  that  John  completed  his  baptism,  as  to  the  matter  and 


388 


PROPOSITION  xn. 


substance  of  it :  "  John,"  saith  he,  <<  truly  baptized  with 
water  which  is  as  much  as  if  he  had  said,  John  did  truly 
and  fully  administer  the  baptism  of  water;  "But  ye  shall 
be  baptized  with,"  &c.  This  shovveth  that  they  were  to  be 
baptized  with  some  other  baptism  than  the  baptism  of  water ; 
and  that  although  they  were  formerly  baptized  with  the 
baptism  of  water,  yet  not  with  that  of  Christ,  which  they 
were  to  be  baptized  with. 
fRooF  III.  Thirdly,  Peter  observes  the  same  distinction,  Acts  xi 
16,  "  Then  remembered  I  the  word  of  the  Lord,  how  that 
The  bap-  he  said,  John  indeed  baptized  with  water ;  but  ye  shall  be 
the  Holy  baptized  with  the  Holy  Ghost."  The  apostle  makes  this 
that*  wUh'*  application  upon  the  Holy  Ghost's  falling  upon  them  ; 
water  dif-  whence  he  infers,  that  they  were  then  baptized  with  the 
baptism  of  the  Spirit.  As  to  what  is  urged  from  his  calling 
afterwards  for  water,  it  shall  be  spoken  to  hereafter.  From 
all  which  three  sentences,  relative  one  to  another,  first  of 
John,  secondly  of  Christ,  and  thirdly  of  Peter,  it  doth  evi- 
dently follow,  that  such  as  were  truly  and  really  baptized 
with  the  baptism  of  water,  were  notwithstanding  not  bap- 
tized with  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  that  of  Christ ; 
and  such  as  truly  and  really  did  administer  the  baptism  of 
water,  did,  in  so  doing,  not  administer  the  baptism  of 
Christ.  So  that  if  there  be  now  but  one  baptism,  as  we 
have  already  proved,  we  may  safely  conclude  that  it  is  that 
of  the  Spirit,  and  not  of  water ;  else  it  would  follow,  that 
the  one  baptism,  which  now  continues,  were  the  baptism 
of  water,  i.  e.,  John's  baptism,  and  not  the  baptism  of  the 
Spirit,  i.  e.,  Christ's;  which  were  most  absurd. 
Jbject.  If  it  be  said  further,  That  though  the  baptism  of  John, 
before  Christ's  was  administered,  was  different  from  it,  as 
being  the  figure  only  ;  yet  now,  that  both  it  as  the  figure, 
and  that  of  the  Spirit  as  the  substance,  is  necessary  to  make 
up  the  one  baptism  ; 

I  answer ;  This  urgeth  nothing,  unless  it  be  granted  also 
that  both  cf  them  belong  to  the  essence  of  baptism  ;  so  that 
baptism  is  not  to  be  accounted  as  truly  administered,  where 
both  are  not ;  which  none  of  our  adversaries  will  acknow 


OF  BAPTISM. 


389 


edge :  but  on  the  contrary,  account  not  only  all  those 
truly  baptiz(;d  with  the  baptism  of  Christ,  who  are  baptized  Water  bap 
with  water,  though  they  be  uncertain  whether  they  be  bap-  the  true 
tized  with  the  Spirit,  or  not ;  but  they  even  account  such  ^^jj'^'j'^®,'" 
truly  baptized  with  the  baptism  of  Christ,  because  sprinkled^ 
or  baptized  with  water,  though  it  be  manifest  and  most 
j;ertain  that  they  are  not  baptized  with  the  Spirit,  as  being 
enemies  thereunto  in  their  hearts  by  wicked  works.  So 
here,  by  their  own  confession,  baptism  with  water  is  with- 
out the  Spirit.  Wherefore  we  may  far  safer  conclude,  that 
die  baptism  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  that  of  Christ,  is  and 
may  be  without  that  of  water ;  as  appears  in  that  of  Acts 
xi.  15,  where  Peter  testifies  of  these  men,  that  they  were 
baptized  with  the  Spirit,  though  then  not  baptized  with 
water.  And  indeed  the  controversy  in  this,  as  in  most 
other  things,  stands  betwixt  us  and  our  opposers,  in  that 
they  oftentimes  prefer  the  form  and  shadow  to  the  power 
and  substance  ;  by  denominating  persons  as  inheritors  and 
possessors,  of  the  thing,  from  their  having  the  form  and 
shadow,  though  really  wanting  the  power  and  substance; 
and  not  admitting  those  to  be  so  denominated,  who  have 
the  power  and  substance,  if  they  want  the  form  and  shadow. 
This  appears  evidently,  in  that  they  account  those  truly 
baptized  with  the  one  baptism  of  Christ,  who  are  not  bap- 
tized with  the  Spirit,  which  in  scripture  is  particularly  called 
the  baptism  of  Christ,  if  they  be  only  baptized  with  water, 
which  themselves  yet  confess  to  be  but  the  shadow  or  figure. 
And  moreover,  in  that  they  account  not  those  who  are  surely  The  bap 
baptized  with  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit  baptized,  neither  Sp-^jt^need 
will  they  have  them  so  denominated,  unless  they  be  also  eih  no 

•  111-,  1-        1   •  ,  ,  sprinklini; 

sprmUled  with,  or  dipped  in  water:  but  we,  on  the  con-  or  dipping 
trary,  do  always  prefer  the  power  to  the  form,  the  substance 
to  the  shadow  ;  and  where  the  substance  and  power  is,  we 
doubt  not  to  denominate  the  person  accordingly,  though 
the  form  be  wanting.  And  therefore  we  always  seek  first, 
and  plead  for  the  substance  and  power,  as  knowing  that  to 
be  indispensably  necessary,  though  the  form  sometimes  may 
oe  dispensed  with,  and  the  figure  or  type  may  cease,  when 
33* 


390 


PROPOSITION  XII. 


the  substance  and  anti-type  come  to  be  enjoyed,  as  it  doll 
in  tliis  case,  which  shall  hereafter  be  made  appear. 
I' ROOF  IV.      §  IV.  Fourthly,  That  the  one  baptism  of  Christ  is  not  a 

•  Or,  as  it  washing  with  water,  appears  from  1  Pet.  iii.  21  :  "  The 
rans'lated    ^^^^  figuie*  whereunto,  even  baptism,  doth  also  now  save 

•  Whose  us  fnot  the  putting:  away  of  the  filth  of  the  flesh,  but  the 
nodelbap.       ^  ^         °         ^  .  }    n    \^  u  X 

lism  does    answer  of  a  good  conscience  towards  (jrod)  by  the  resur- 

«ve'u9^  rection  of  Jesus  Christ."  So  plain  a  definition  of  baptism 
The  plain-  is  not  in  all  the  bible  ;  and  therefore,  seeing  it  is  so  plain, 
t'uln'^of'the  '"^y  ^^'^1'  preferred  to  all  the  coined  definitions  of  the 
baptism  of  school-men.  The  apostle  tells  us  first  negatively  what  it  is 
Christinali  •  -vt  •  ^   >      ^-i  .      r   ,      ^    i  n 

the  bible,    not,  VIZ.,  "  Not  a  putting  away  of  the  filth  of  the  flesh:" 

then  surely  it  is  not  a  washing  with  water,  since  that  is  so. 
Secondly,  he  tells  us  affirmatively  what  it  is,  viz.,  "  The 
answer  of  a  good  conscience  towards  God,  by  the  resur- 
rection of  Jesus  Christ ;"  where  he  affirmatively  defines  it 
to  be  the  "  answer  (or  confession,  as  the  Syriac  version 
hath  it)  of  a  good  conscience."  Now  this  answer  cannot 
be  but  where  the  Spirit  of  God  hath  purified  the  soul,  and 
the  fire  of  his  judgment  hath  burned  up  the  unrighteous 
nature  ;  and  those  in  whom  this  work  is  wrought  may  be 
truly  said  to  be  baptized  with  the  baptism  of  Christ,  i.  e. 
of  the  Spirit  and  of  fire.  Whatever  way  then  we  take  this 
definition  of  the  apostle  of  Christ's  baptism,  it  conflrmeth 
our  sentence  :  for  if  we  take  the  first  or  negative  part,  viz.. 
That  it  is  not  a  putting  away  of  the  filth  of  the  flesh,  then 
Water  it  will  follow  that  water  baptism  is  not  it,  because  that  is  a 
shut'oji  putting  away  the  filth  of  the  flesh.  If  we  take  the  seco;  J 
from  ba)..    g,-, j  affirmative  definition,  to  wit.  That  it  is  the  answer  Oi 

i  ism  01  .  '     .        '  . 

Christ.  confession  of  a  good  conscience,  &c.,  then  water  baptism 
is  not  it ;  since,  as  our  adversaries  will  not  deny,  water 
baptism  doth  not  always  imply  it,  neither  is  it  any  neces- 
sary consequence  thereof.  Moreover,  the  apostle  in  this 
place  doth  seem  especially  to  guard  against  those  that 
might  esteem  water  baptism  the  true  baptism  of  Christ ; 
because,  lest  by  the  comparison  induced  by  him  in  the 
preceding  verse,  betwixt  the  souls  that  were  saved  in 
Noah's  ark,  and  us  that  are  now  saved  by  baptism ;  lest,  1 


OK  BAPTISM. 


say,  any  should  have  thence  hastily  concluded,  that  be- 
cause the  former  were  saved  by  water,  this  place  must 
needs  be  taken  to  speak  of  water  baptism,  to  prevent  such 
a  mistake,  he  plainly  affirms,  that  it  is  not  that,  but  another 
thing.  He  saith  not  that  it  is  the  water,  or  the  putting  away 
of  the  filth  of  the  flesh,  as  accompanied  with  the  answer  of 
a  good  conscience,  whereof  the  one,  viz.,  water,  is  the 
saciamental  element,  administered  by  the  minister  ;  and  the 
other,  the  grace  or  thing  signified  conferred  by  Christ ;  but 
plainly.  That  it  is  not  the  putting  away,  &c.,  than  which 
there  can  be  nothing  more  manifest  to  men  unprejudicate 
and  judicious.  Moreover,  Peter  calls  this  here  which  saves 
dvTiTvjrov,  the  anti-type  or  the  '  thing  figured  ;'  whereas  it  is 
usually  translated,  '  as  if  the  like  figure  did  now  save  us ;' 
thereby  insinuating  that  as  they  were  saved  by  water  in  the 
ark,  so  are  we  now  by  water  baptism.  But  this  interpreta- 
tion crosseth  his  sense,  he  presently  after  declaring  the 
contrary,  as  hath  above  been  observed  ;  and  likewise  it 
would  contradict  the  opinion  of  all  our  opposers.  For 
Protestants  deny  it  to  be  absolutely  necessary  to  salvation ;  The  Pro- 
and  though  Papists  say,  none  are  saved  without  it,  yet  in  Jfy^p^g  wa** 
this  they  admit  an  exception,  as  of  martyrs,  &c.,  and  they  |er baptism 
will  not  say  that  all  that  have  it  are  saved  by  water  baj)-  necessity  to 
tism  ;  which  they  ought  to  say,  if  they  will  understand  by  ^a^"on^*'" 

baptism,  by  which  the  apostle  saith  we  are  saved,  water  although 
,       .  V,  '  .  ,       ,  •    1       •  ,,  the  Papistg 

baptism,    tor  seemg  we  are  saved  by  this  baptism,  as  all  say  none 

those  that  were  in  the  ark  were  saved  by  water,  it  would  savedVith 

then  follow,  that  all  those  that  have  this  baptism  are  saved  o"'  ye' 
1      •        XT         1  ■  1  1   I      r  1        -f  •  grant  ex- 

by  it.  JNow  this  consequence  would  be  false,  ii  it  were  ccptions. 
understood  of  water  baptism  ;  because  many,  by  the  con- 
fession of  all,  are  baptized  with  water  that  are  not  saved  ; 
but  this  consetjuence  holds  most  true,  if  it  be  understood 
as  we  do,  of  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit ;  since  none  can 
have  this  answer  of  a  good  conscience,  and,  abiding  in  it, 
n«  t  be  saved  by  it. 

Fifthly,  That  the  one  baptism  of  Christ  is  not  a  washing  PRotr  ^ 
with  water,  as  it  hath  been  proved  by  the  definition  of  the 
one  baptism,  so  it  is  also  manifest  from  the  necessary  iruits 


392 


PROPOSITION  XII. 


The  effects  and  effects  of  it,  which  are  tiiroe  times  particularly  ex 
fhebapdsm  P'''^ssecl  by  the  apostle  Paul ;  as  first,  Rom.  vi.  3,  4,  wher« 
ofChrie".  saith,  "That  so  many  of  them  as  were  baptized  into 
Jesus  Christ,  were  baptized  into  his  death  buried  with 
him  by  baptism  into  death,  that  they  should  walk  in  new- 
ness of  life."  Secondly,  to  the  Galatians,  iii.  27,  he  saith 
positively,  "  For  as  many  of  you  as  have  been  baptized 
into  Christ,  have  put  on  Christ."  And  thirdly,  to  the 
Colossians,  ii.  12,  he  saith.  That  they  were  "  buried  with 
him  in  baptism,"  and  risen  "  with  him  through  the  faith 
of  the  operation  of  God."  It  is  to  be  observed  here,  that 
the  apostle  speaks  generally,  without  any  exclusive  term, 
but  comprehensive  of  all.  He  saith  not.  Some  of  you  that 
were  baptized  into  Christ,  have  put  on  Christ,  but  "  as 
many  of  you  ;"  which  is  as  much  as  if  he  had  said.  Every 
one  of  you  that  hath  been  baptized  into  Christ,  hath  put 
on  Christ.  Whereby  it  is  evident  that  this  is  not  meant  of 
Which  ef-  water  baptism,  but  of  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit ;  because 
bapfism'^'  ^'^^  would  follow,  that  whosoever  had  been  baptized 
wants.  with  water  baptism  had  put  on  Christ,  and  were  risen  with 
him,  which  all  acknowledge  to  be  most  absurd.  Now 
supposing  all  the  visible  members  of  the  churches  of  Rome, 
Galatia,  and  Colosse  had  been  outwardly  baptized  with 
water,  (I  do  not  say  they  were,  but  our  adversaries  will  not 
only  readily  grant  it,  but  also  contend  for  it,)  suppose,  I 
say,  the  case  so,  they  will  not  say  they  had  all  put  on 
Christ,  since  divers  expressions  in  these  epistles  to  them 
show  the  contrary.  So  that  the  apostle  cannot  mean  bap- 
tism with  water ;  and  yet  that  he  meaneth  the  baptism  of 
Christ,  i.  e.,  of  the  Spirit,  cannot  be  denied;  or  that  the 
baptism  wherewith  these  were  baptized,  of  whoiu  the 
apostle  here  testifies  that  they  had  put  on  Christ,  was  the 
one  baptism,  I  think  none  will  call  in  question.  Now 
admit,  as  our  adversaries  contend,  that  many  in  the.«!e 
churches  who  had  been  baptized  whh  water  had  not  put 
on  Christ,  it  will  follow,  that  notwithstanding  thai  water 
baptism,  they  were  not  baptized  into  Chris',  or  with  the 
baptism  of  Christ,  seeing  as  many  of  them  as  were  bap- 


OF  BAPTISM. 


393 


nzod  into  Christ  had  put  on  Cliris',  &c.    From  all  which 
I  thus  argue : 

If  the  baptism  with  water  were  the  one  baptism,  i.  e.,  Aro.  1. 
the  baptism  of  Christ,  as  many  as  were  baptized  with  wa- 
er  would  have  put  on  Christ : 

But  the  last  is  false, 

Therefore  also  the  first. 
And  again  : 

Since  as  many  as  are  baptized  into  Christ,  i.  e.,  with  the  Aro.  3. 

one  baptism,  which  is  the  baptism  of  Christ,  have  put  on 
Christ,  then  water  baptism  is  not  the  one  baptism,  viz.,  the 
baptism  of  Christ. 

But  the  first  is  true, 

Therefore  also  the  last. 

§  V.  Thirdly,  Since  John's  baptism  was  a  figure,  and  Pro.  III. 
seeing  the  figure  gives  way  to  the  substance,  although  the 
thing  figured  remain,  to  wit,  the  one  baptism  of  Christ,  yet 
the  other  ceaseth,  which  was  the  baptism  of  John. 

That  John's  baptism  was  a  figure  of  Christ's  baptism,  I  I. 
judge  will  not  readily  be  denied  ;  but  in  case  it  should,  Usln'was'a 
it  can  easily  be  proved  from  the  nature  of  it.    John's  bap-  ^^f,'J.-g,'.g 
tism  was  a  being  baptized  with  water,  but  Christ's  is  a 
baptizing  with  the  Spirit ;  therefore  John's  baptism  must 
have  been  a  figure  of  Christ's.    But  further,  that  wafer 
baptism  was  John's  baptism,  will  not  be  denied :  that 
water  baptism  is  not  Christ's  baptism,  is  already  |)roved. 
From  which  doth  arise  the  confirmation  of  our  pro[)osition 
thus : 

There  is  no  baptism  to  continue  now,  but  the  one  bap- 
tism of  Christ. 

Thrrefore  water  baptism  is  not  to  continue  now,  because 
t  is  not  the  one  baptism  of  Christ. 

That  John's  baptism  is  ceased,  many  of  our  adversaries  II. 

confess  ;  but  if  any  should  allege  it  is  otherwise,  it  may  be  j'ism"i8^*'' 

easily  proved  by  the  express  words  of  John,  not  only  as 

..       ..  ,,  ,        ,  opposerr 

benig  insmuated  there,  where  he  contra-disfinguishith  his  confess. 

baptism  from  that  of  Christ,  but  particularly  where  he 

Baith,  John  iii.  30,  "He  [Christ]  must  increase,  but  I 

22 


394 


PROPOSITION  XII. 


[John]  must  decrease."  From  whence  it  clearly  follows, 
that  the  increasing  or  taking  place  of  Christ's  baptism  is 
the  decreasing  or  abolishing  of  John's  baptism  ;  so  that  if 
water  baptism  was  a  particular  part  of  John's  ministry,  and 
is  no  part  of  Christ's  baptism,  as  we  have  already  proved, 
it  will  necessarily  follow  that  it  is  not  to  continue. 
A»«  Secondly,  If  water  baptism  had  been  to  continue  a  per- 

petual ordinance  of  Christ  in  his  church,  he  would  either 
have  practised  it  himself,  or  commanded  his  apostles  so 
to  do. 

But  that  he  practised  it  not,  the  scripture  plainly  affirms, 
John  iv.  2.  And  that  he  commanded  his  disciples  to  bap- 
tize with  water,  I  could  never  yet  read.  As  for  what  is 
alleged,  that.  Mat.  xxviii.  19,  &c.,  where  he  bids  them 
baptize,  is  to  be  understood  of  water  baptism,  that  is  but 
to  beg  the  question,  and  the  grounds  for  that  shall  be  here- 
after examined. 

Therefore,  to  baptize  with  water  is  no  perpetual  ordinance 
of  Christ  to  his  church. 

This  hath  had  the  more  weight  with  me,  because  I  find 
not  any  standing  ordinance  or  appointment  of  Christ  ne- 
cessary to  Christians,  for  which  we  have  not  either  Christ's 
own  practice  or  command,  as  to  obey  all  the  command 
raents  which  comprehend  both  our  duty  towards  God  and 
man,  &c.,  and  where  the  gospel  requires  more  than  the 
law,  which  is  abundantly  signified  in  the  5th  and  6th 
chapters  of  Matthew,  and  elsewhere.  Besides,  as  to  the 
duties  of  worship,  he  exhorts  us  to  meet,  promising  his 
presence;  commands  to  pray,  preach,  watch,  &c.,  and 
gives  precepts  concerning  some  temporary  things,  as  the 
washing  of  one  another's  feet,  the  breaking  of  bread,  here- 
after to  be  discussed  ;  only  for  this  one  thing  of  baptizing 
with  water,  though  so  earnestly  contended  for,  we  find  not 
any  precept  of  Christ. 
111.  §  VI.  But  to  make  water  baptism  a  necessary  institution 
(lutsan^end  of  the  Christian  religion,  which  is  pure  and  spiritual,  and 

10  carnal  j^^j  carnal  and  ceremonial,  is  to  derorale  from  the  new 
»rdinances.  '  o  . 

covenant  dispensation,  and  set  up  the  legal  rites  and  cere- 


OF  BAPTISM 


3M 


monies,  of  whi'^h  this  of  baptism,  or  washing  with  water, 
was  one,  as  appears  from  Heb.  ix.  10.  where  the  apostle 
speaking  thereof  saith,  that  "  it  stood  only  in  meats  and 
drinks,  and  divers  washings,  and  carnal  ordin  ances,  im- 
posed until  the  time  of  reformation."  If  then  the  time  of 
reformation,  or  the  dispensation  of  the  gospel,  which  puts 
an  end  to  the  shadows,  be  come,  then  such  baptisms  and 
carnal  ordinances  are  no  more  to  be  imposed.  For  how 
uaptism  with  water  comes  now  to  be  a  spiritual  ordinance, 
more  than  before  in  the  time  of  the  law,  doth  not  appear, 
seeing  it  is  but  water  still,  and  a  washing  of  the  outward 
man,  and  a  putting  away  of  the  filth  of  the  flesh  still:  and 
dS  before,  those  that  were  so  washed,  were  not  thereby 
made  perfect,  as  pertaining  to  the  conscience,  neither  are 
they  at  this  day,  as  our  adversaries  must  needs  acknow- 
ledge, and  experience  abundantly  showeth.  So  that  the 
matter  of  it,  which  is  a  washing  with  water,  and  the  effect 
of  it,  which  is  only  an  outward  cleansing,  being  still  the 
same,  how  comes  water  baptism  to  be  less  a  carnal  ordi- 
nance now  than  before  ? 

If  it  be  said.  That  God  confers  inward  grace  upon  some  Obj.  i, 
that  are  now  baptized  ; 

So  no  doubt  he  did  also  upon  some  that  used  those  bap-  Answ 
tisms  among  the  Jews. 

Or  if  it  be  said,  Because  it  is  commanded  by  Christ  Obj.  2 
now,  under  the  new  covenant ; 

I  answer,  First,  That  is  to  beg  the  question ;  of  which  Knaw 
hereafter. 

But  Se  ondly.  We  find  thai  where  the  matter  of  ordi- 
nances is  the  same,  and  the  end  the  same,  they  are  never 
a  5";ounted  more  or  less  spiritual,  because  of  their  different 
fimes.  Now  was  not  God  the  author  of  the  purifications 
and  baptisms  under  the  law?  Was  not  water  the  matter 
of  them,  which  is  so  now?  Was  not  the  end  of  them  to 
signify  an  inward  purifying  by  an  outward  washing?  And 
is  not  that  alleged  to  be  the  end  still  ?  And  are  the 
necessary  effects  or  consequences  of  it  any  better  low  than 
jefore,  since  men  are  now  by  the  virtue  of  watei  baptism, 


396 


PROPOSITION  XII. 


Men  are  no  as  a  necessary  consequence  of  it,  no  mo.  e  than  before 
tharfbeforo  ^^^^  inwardly  clean  ?    And  if  some  by  God's  grace  that 

by  water  baptized  with  water  are  inwardly  purified,  so  were 

oaptism  m-  i  i       i     i  j    r  j 

wardly  some  also  under  the  law  ;  so  that  this  is  not  any  necessary 
cleansed,  consequence  or  effect,  neither  of  this  nor  that  baptism.  It 
is  then  plainly  repugnant  to  right  reason,  as  well  as  to  the 
scripture  testimony,  to  affirm  that  to  be  a  spiritual  ordi- 
nance now,  which  was  a  carnal  ordinance  before,  if  it  be 
still  the  same,  both  as  to  its  author,  matter,  and  end,  how- 
ever made  to  vary  in  some  small  circumstances.  The 
.spirituality  of  the  new  covenant,  and  of  its  worship  estab- 
lished by  Christ,  consisted  not  in  such  superficial  altera- 
tions of  circumstances,  but  after  another  manner.  There- 
fore let  our  adversaries  show  us,  if  they  can,  without 
begging  the  question,  and  building  upon  some  one  or 
other  of  their  own  principles  denied  by  us,  where  ever 
Christ  appointed  or  ordained  any  institution  or  observation 
under  the  new  covenant,  as  belonging  to  the  nature  of  it, 
or  such  a  necessary  part  of  its  worship  as  is  perpetually  to 
continue  ;  which  being  one  in  substance  and  effects,  (I 
speak  of  necessary,  not  accidental  effects,)  yet,  because  of 
some  small  difference  in  form  or  circumstance,  was  before 
carnal,  notwithstanding  it  was  commanded  by  God  undei 
the  law,  but  now  is  become  spiritual,  because  coinmandec 
by  Christ  under  the  gospel.''  And  if  they  cannot  do  this, 
then  if  water  baptism  was  once  a  carnal  ordinance,  as  the 
apostle  positively  affirms  it  to  have  been,  it  remains  a  car- 
nal ordinance  still ;  and  if  a  carnal  ordinance,  then  no 
necessary  part  of  the  gospel  or  new  covenant  dispensation 
and  if  no  necessary  part  of  it,  then  not  needful  to  continue, 
nor  to  be  practised  by  such  as  live  and  walk  under  this 
dispensation.  But  in  this,  as  in  most  other  things,  ac- 
cording as  we  have  often  observed,  our  adversaries  judaize, 
and  renouncing  the  glorious  and  spiritual  privileges  of  the 
new  covenant,  are  sticking  in  and  cleaving  to  the  rudi- 
ments of  the  old,  both  in  doctrine  and  worship,  as  being 
more  suited  and  agreeable  to  their  carnal  apprehensions 
and  natural  senses.   But  we,  on  the  contrary,  travail  above 


OF  BAPTISM. 


397 


all  to  lay  hold  upon  and  cleave  unto  the  Light  of  the  glo- 
rious gospel  revealed  unto  us.    And  the  harmony  of  the 
truth  we  profess  in  this  may  appear,  by  briefly  observing  The  law 
how  in  all  things  we  follow  the  spiritual  gospel  of  Christ,  ed  frcm'fhe 
as  contra-distinguished  from  the  carnality  of  the  legal  dis-  gospel, 
pensation ;  while  our  adversaries,  through  rejecting  this 
gospel,  are  still  labouring  under  the  burden  of  the  law, 
which  neither  they  nor  their  fathers  were  able  to  bear. 

For  the  law  and  rule  of  the  old  covenant  and  Jews  was  The  out- 

1         •  •        1  t         r  1  1  ward  bap- 

outward,  written  m  tables  of  stone  and  parchment ;  so  tism,  wor- 

also  is  that  of  our  adversaries.    But  the  law  of  the  new  ^^g'fj'ngu'i^ij. 

covenant  is  inward  and  perpetual,  written  in  the  heart ;  so     from  th« 

fward 

is  ours. 

The  worship  of  the  Jews  was  outward  and  carnal, 
limited  to  set  times,  places,  and  persons,  and  performed 
according  to  set  prescribed  forms  and  observations ;  so  is 
that  of  our  adversaries.  But  the  worship  of  the  new  cove- 
nant is  neither  limited  to  time,  place,  nor  person,  but  is 
performed  in  the  Spirit  and  in  truth  ;  and  it  is  not  acted 
according  to  set  forms  and  prescriptions,  but  as  the  Spirit 
of  God  immediately  actuates,  moves,  and  leads,  whether 
it  be  to  preach,  pray,  or  sing ;  and  such  is  also  our 
worship. 

So  likewise  the  baptism  among  the  Jews  under  the  law 
was  an  outward  washing  with  outward  water,  only  to 
typify  an  inward  purification  of  the  soul,  which  did  not 
necessarily  follow  upon  those  that  were  thus  baptized ;  but 
the  baptism  of  Christ  under  the  gospel  is  the  baptism  of 
the  Spirit  and  of  fire  ;  not  the  putting  away  of  the  filth  of 
the  flesh,  but  the  answer  of  a  good  conscience  towards 
G.  J  ;  and  such  is  the  baptism  that  we  labour  to  be  bap- 
tized withal,  and  contend  for. 

§  VII.  But  again.  If  water  baptism  had  been  an  ordi-  Asa 
nance  of  the  gospel,  then  the  apostle  Paul  would  have 
been  sent  to  administer  it ;  but  he  declares  positively,  1 
Cor.  i.  17  :  "  Tha''.  Christ  sent  him  not  to  baptize,  but  to 
preach  the  gospel."  The  reason  of  that  consequence  is 
undeniable,  because  the  apostle  Paul's  commission  was  as 
34 


98 


PROPOSITION  XII. 


IV. 

That  wa- 
ter baptism 
is  no  badge 
(if  Chris- 
tians, like 
circumci- 
sion of  the 
Jews. 


1  Cor.  i.  14. 

Paul  was 

not  sent  to 
baptize. 


Obj.  I. 


Answ. 


Mat.  ix.  13 
Hm.  v>.  6. 


large  as  that  of  any  of  them;  and  consequently  he  being  in 
special  manner  the  apostle  of  Christ  to  the  Gentiles,  if 
water  baptism,  as  our  adversaries  contend,  be  to  be 
accounted  the  badge  of  Christianity,  he  had  more  ueed 
than  any  of  the  rest  to  be  sent  to  baptize  with  water,  that 
he  might  mark  the  Gentiles  converted  by  him  with  that 
Christian  sign.  But  indeed  the  rea.son  holds  better  thus, 
that  since  Paul  was  the  apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  and  that  in 
his  ministry  he  doth  through  all,  as  by  his  epistles  appears, 
labour  to  wean  them  from  the  former  Jewish  ceremonies 
and  observations,  though  in  so  doing  he  was  sometimes 
undeservedly  judged  by  others  of  his  brethren,  who  were 
unwilling  to  lay  aside  those  ceremonies,  therefore  his  com- 
mission, though  as  full  as  to  the  preaching  of  the  gospel 
and  new  covenant  dispensation  as  that  of  the  other  apos- 
tles, did  not  require  of  him  that  he  should  lead  those  con- 
verts into  such  Jewish  observations  and  baptisms :  how- 
ever that  practice  was  indulged  in  and  practised  by  the 
other  apostles  among  their  Jewish  proselytes,  for  which 
cause  he  thanks  God  that  he  had  baptized  so  few :  intimat- 
ing that  what  he  did  therein  he  did  not  by  virtue  of  his 
apostolic  commission,  but  rather  in  condescension  to 
their  weakness,  even  as  at  another  time  he  circumcised 
Timothy. 

Our  adversaries,  to  evade  the  truth  of  this  testimony, 
usually  allege.  That  by  this  is  only  to  be  understood  that 
he  was  not  .sent  principally  to  baptize,  not  that  he  was  not 
sent  at  all. 

But  this  exposition,  since  it  contradicts  'lie  positive 
words  of  the  text,  and  has  no  better  foundation  than  the 
affirmation  of  its  assertors,  is  justly  rejected  as  .spurious, 
until  they  bring  some  better  proof  for  it.  He  saith  not,  I 
was  not  sent  principally  to  baptize,  but,  "  I  was  not  sent  to 
baptize." 

As  for  what  they  urge,  by  way  of  confirmation,  from 
other  places  of  scripture,  where  not  is  to  be  so  taken,  as 
where  it  is  said,  "I  will  have  mercy,  and  Jiot  sacrifice," 


OF  BAPTISM. 


399 


which  i&  to  be  iinderstood  that  God  requires  principall} 
mercy,  not  excluding  sacrifice  : 

I  say  this  place  is  abundantly  explained  by  the  foikw-  ItsruT 
mg  words,  "  And  the  knowledge  of  God  more  than  burnt- 
offerings  ;"  by  which  it  clearly  appears  that  burnt-offerings, 
which  are  one  with  sacrifices,  are  not  excluded  ;  but  there 
is  no  such  word  added  in  that  of  Paul,  and  therefore  the 
prtfity  is  not  demonstrated  to  be  alike,  and  consequently 
the  instance  not  sufficient,  unless  they  can  prove  that  it 
ought  so  to  be  admitted  here ;  else  we  might  interpret  by 
the  same  rule  all  other  places  of  scripture  the  same  way, 
as  where  the  apostle  saith,  1  Cor.  ii.  5  :  "  That  your  faith 
might  not  stand  in  the  wisdom  of  men,  but  in  the  power 
of  God,"  it  might  be  understood,  it  shall  not  stand  prin- 
cipally so.  How  might  the  gospel,  by  this  liberty  of  inter- 
pretation be  perverted .'' 

If  it  be  said.  That  the  abuse  of  this  baptism  among  the  Obj.  a. 
Corinthians,  in  dividing  themselves  according  to  the  per- 
sons by  whom  they  were  baptized,  made  the  apostle  speak 
so  ;  but  that  the  abuse  of  a  thing  doth  not  abolish  it ; 

I  answer.  It  is  true,  it  doth  not,  provided  the  thing  be  Answ. 
lawful  and  necessary  ;  and  that  no  doubt  the  abuse  above- 
said  gave  the  apostle  occasion  so  to  write.    But  let  it  from 
this  be  considered  how  the  apo.stle  excludes  baptizing,  not 
preaching,  though  the  abuse  (mark)  proceeded  from  that, 
no  less  than  from  the  other.    For  these  Corinthians  did 
denominate  themselves  from  those  different  persons  by 
whose  preaching,  as  well  as  from  those  by  whom  they 
were  baptized,  they  were  converted,  as  by  the  4th,  5th, 
6th,  7th,  and  8th  verses  of  chap.  iii.  may  appear:  and  yet  Thai 
to  remove  that  abuse  the  apostle  doth  not  say  he  was  not  fs'^l^suin^ 
sent  to  preach,  nor  yet  doth  he  rejoice  that  he  had  only '"S  of<l>- 

'  '         '         •'  •*  .  •'  nance,  am 

preached  to  a  few  ;  because  preaching,  being  a  standing  not  to  be 
ordinance  in  the  church,  is  not,  because  of  any  abuse  that 
the  devil  may  tempt  any  to  make  of  it,  to  be  forborne  by 
such  as  are  called  to  perform  it  by  the  Spirit  of  God: 
wherefore  the  apostle  accordingly,  chap.  iii.  8,  9,  informs 
them,  as  to  that,  how  to  remove  that  abuse.    But  as  to 


400 


fROPOSITION  XII. 


water  baptism,  for  that  it  was  no  standing  ordinance  of 
Christ,  but  only  practised  as  in  condescen&'.on  to  the  Jews^ 
and  by  some  apostles  to  some  Gentiles  also,  therefore,  so 
soon  as  the  apostle  perceived  the  abuse  of  it,  he  let  the 
Corinthians  understand  how  little  stress  was  to  be  laid  upon 
it,  by  showing  them  that  he  was  glad  tliat  he  had  adminis- 
tered this  ceremony  to  so  few  of  them  ;  and  by  telling  theixi 
plainly  that  it  was  no  part  of  his  commission,  neither  thai 
which  he  was  sent  to  administer. 
Q' TRY.  Some  ask  us,  How  we  know  that  baptizing  here  m 
meant  of  water,  and  not  of  the  Spirit ;  which  if  it  be, 
then  it  will  exclude  baptism  of  the  Spirit,  as  well  as  of 
water. 

Answ.  I  answer.  Such  as  ask  the  question,  I  suppose,  speak  it 

That  which  not  as  doubting  that  this  was  said  of  water  baptism,  which 

c'^iHstisihe     "^ore  than  manifest.    For  since  the  apostle  Paul's  mes- 

baptism  of  saee  was,  to  turn  people  from  darkness  to  light,  and  con- 
the  Spir  t.       ^     ,  ^    ,         ,    ,  ^  ,  , 

vert  them  to  God ;  and  that  as  many  as  are  thus  turned 

and  converted,  so  as  to  have  the  answer  of  a  good  con- 
science towards  God,  and  to  have  put  on  Christ,  and  be 
risen  with  him  in  newness  of  life,  are  baptized  with  the 
baptism  of  the  Spirit.  But  who  will  say  that  only  those 
few  mentioned  there  to  be  baptized  by  Paul  were  come  to 
this Or  that  to  turn  or  bring  them  to  this  condition  was 
not,  even  admitting  our  adversaries'  interpretation,  as  prin- 
cipal a  part  of  Paul's  ministry  as  any  other  ?  Since  then 
our  adversaries  do  take  this  place  for  water  baptism,  as 
indeed  it  is,  we  may  lawfully,  taking  it  so  also,  urge  it 
upon  them.  Why  the  word  baptism  and  baptizing  is  used 
by  the  apostle,  where  that  of  water  and  not  of  the  Spirit 
Part  II.  is  only  understood,  shall  hereafter  be  spoken  to.  I  come 
now  to  consider  the  reasons  alleged  by  such  as  plead  for 
water  baptism,  which  are  also  the  objections  used  against 
the  discontinuance  of  it. 
Obi.  1.  §  VIII.  First,  Some  object.  That  Christ,  who  had  the 

lobniii.  34.  Spirit  above  measure,  was  notwithstai.ding  baptized  with 
water.  As  Nic.  Arnoldus  against  this  Thesis,  Sect,  xlvi 
of  his  Theological  Exercitation. 


OF  BAPTISM. 


401 


I  answer,  So  was  he  also  circumcised  :  it  will  not  A  llow  Answ 
troni  thence  that  circumcision  is  to  continue  :  for  it  be- 
hoved Christ  to  fulfil  all  righteousness,  not  only  the  minis-  WhyChri* 
try  of  John,  but  the  law  also  ;  therefore  did  he  observe  tiie  ti^ed^by 
Jewish  feasts  and  riles,  and  keep  the  passover.    It  will  not  J"''"- 
thence  follow  that  Christians  ought  to  do  so  now  ;  and 
therefore  Christ,  Matt.  iii.  15,  gives  John  this  reason  of  his 
being  baptized,  desiring  him  to  "suffer  it  to  be  so  now:" 
whereby  he  sufficiently  intimates  that  he  intended  not 
thereby  to  perpetuate  it  as  an  ordinance  to  his  disciples. 

Secondly,  They  object.  Matt,  xxviii.  19  :  "  Go  ye  there-  Obj.  2. 
fore  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of 
the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost." 

This  is  the  great  objection,  and  upon  which  they  build  Answ. 
the  whole  superstructure ;  whereunto  the  first  general  and 
sound  answer  is,  by  granting  the  whole  ;  but  putting  them 
to  prove  that  water  is  here  meant,  since  the  text  is  silent  What  bap. 
of  it.    And  though  in  reason  it  be  sufficient  upon  our  part  j^JJJ  ^^^^ 
that  we  concede  the  whole  expressed  in  the  place,  but  Matt, 
deny  that  it  is  by  water,  which  is  an  addition  to  the  text, 
yet  I  shall  premise  some  reasons  why  we  do  so,  and  then 
consider  the  reasons  alleged  by  those  that  will  have  water 
to  be  here  understood. 

The  first  is  a  maxim  yielded  to  by  all,  That  we  ought  Abo.  l. 
not  to  go  from  the  literal  signification  of  the  text,  except 
some  urgent  necessity  force  us  thereunto. 

But  no  urgent  necessity  in  this  place  forceth  us  there- 
unto : 

Therefore  we  ought  not  to  go  from  it. 

Secondly,  That  baptism  which  Christ  commanded  his  Abo.  a 
apostles  was  the  one  baptism,  id  est,  his  own  baptism  ; 

But  the  one  baptism,  which  is  Christ's  baptism,  is  not 
with  water,  as  we  have  already  proved : 

Therefore  the  baptism  commanded  by  Christ  to  his  apos- 
•les  was  not  water  baptism. 

Thirdly,  That  baptism  which  Christ  commanded  his  \ro.  l 
apostles  was  such,  that  as  many  as  were  therewith  baptized 
did  put  on  Christ ; 

34  •  3  a 


402 


PROPOSITION  XII 


But  this  is  not  true  of  water  baptism: 
Therefore,  &c. 

Ara.  t.  Fourthly,  The  baptism  commanded  by  Christ  to  his 
apostles  was  not  John's  baptism  ; 

But  baptism  with  water  was  John's  baptism : 
Therefore,  &c. 

^A.Liu  r.  But  first,  They  allege,  Thi.t  Christ's  baptism,  though  a 
baptism  with  water,  did  differ  from  John's,  because  Johr. 
only  baptized  with  water  unto  repentance,  but  Christ  com- 
mands his  disciples  to  baptize  in  the  name  of  the  Father, 
Son,  and  Holy  Ghost ;  reckoning  that  in  this  form  there 
lieth  a  great  difference  betwixt  the  baptism  of  John  and 
that  of  Christ. 

I  answer.  In  that  John's  baptism  was  unto  repentance, 
the  difference  lieth  not  there,  because  so  is  Christ's  also  ; 
yea,  our  adversaries  will  not  deny  but  that  adult  persons 
that  are  to  be  baptized  ought,  ere  they  are  admitted  to 
water  baptisu  ,  to  repent,  and  confess  their  sins ;  and  that 
infants  also,  with  a  respect  to  and  consideration  of  their 
baptism,  ought  to  repent  and  confess ;  so  that  the  dif- 
ference lieth  not  here,  since  this  of  repentance  and  confes- 
sion agrees  as  well  to  Christ's  as  to  John's  baptism.  But 
in  this  our  adversaries  are  divided  :  for  Calvin  will  have 
Christ's  and  John's  to  be  all  one,  Inst.  lib.  iv.,  cap.  15, 
sect.  7,  8,  yet  they  do  differ,  and  the  difference  is,  in  that 
the  one  is  by  water,  the  other  not,  &c. 

Secondly,  As  to  what  Christ  saith,  in  commanding  them 
to  "  baptize  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit," 
I  confess  that  states  the  difference,  and  it  is  great ;  but  that 
lies  not  only  in  admitting  water  baptism  in  this  different 
form,  by  a  bare  expressing  of  these  words :  for  as  the  text 
says  no  such  thing,  neither  do  I  see  how  it  can  be  infer- 
Oi  th(  '"fd  from  it.  For  the  Greek  is  stg  to  ovofxa  thai  is,  into  the 
Lo'rd  how^  ;  now  the  name  of  the  Lord  is  ofteii  taken  in  strip- 
taken  in  ture  for  something  else  than  a  bare  sound  of  words,  or 
literal  expression,  even  for  his  virtue  and  power,  as  may 
appear  from  Psal.  liv.  1  ;  Cant.  i.  3  ;  Prov.  xviii.  10,  and 
in  many  more.    Now  that  the  apostles  were  by  their  minis 


•cripture 


OF  BAPTISM. 


try  to  baptize  the  nations  into  tiiis  name,  virtue  and  power,  The  bap- 
and  that  they  did  so,  is  evident  by  these  tes'iinonies  of  {|'fe"natnc, 
Paul  above  mentioned,  wiiere  he  saith,  "  That  as  many  of  ^^hat  it  m. 
them  as  were  baptized  into  Christ,  have  put  on  Christ ;" 
this  must  have  been  a  bai)tizing  into  the  name,  i.  e.,  power 
and  virtue,  and  not  a  mere  formal  expression  of  words  ad- 
joined with  water  baptism  ;  because,  as  hath  been  above 
observed,  it  doth  not  follow  as  a  natural  or  necessary  con- 
sequence of  it.  I  would  have  those  who  desire  to  have 
tlieir  faith  built  upon  no- other  foundation  than  the  testimony 
of  God's  Spirit  and  scriptures  of  truth,  thoroughly  to  con- 
sider whether  there  can  be  any  thing  further  alleged  for  this 
interpretation  than  what  the  prejudice  of  education  and  in- 
fluence of  tradition  hath  imposed.  Perhaps  it  may  stum- 
ble the  unwary  and  inconsiderate  reader,  as  if  the  very 
character  of  Christianity  were  abolished,  to  tell  him  plainly 
that  this  scripture  is  not  to  be  understood  of  baptizing  with 
water,  and  that  this  form  of  "  baptizing  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,  Son,  and  Spirit,"  hath  no  warrant  from  Matt, 
xxviii.,  &c. 

For  which,  besides  the  reason  taken  from  the  significa-  Whether 

tion  of  "  the  name"  as  being  the  virtue  and  power  above  prescrjife*^ 

expressed,  let  it  be  considered,  that  if  it  had  been  a  form  f  fofm  of 
^     .  '  baptism  la 

prescribed  by  Christ  to  his  apostles,  then  surely  they  would  Matt. 

have  made  use  of  that  form  in  the  administering  of  watei 

baptism  to  such  as  they  baptized  with  water ;  but  though 

particular  mention  be  made  in  divers  places  of  the  Acts 

who  were  baptized,  and  how  ;  and  though  it  be  particularly 

expressed  that  they  baptized  such  and  such,  as  Acts  ii.  41, 

and  viii.  1-2,  13,  .38,  and  ix.  18,  and  x.  48,  and  xvi.  15, 

and  xviii.  8,  yet  there  is  not  a  word  of  this  form.    And  in 

two  places.  Acts  viii.  16,  and  xix.  5,  it  is  said  of  some 

that  they  were  "  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  ;" 

by  which  it  yet  more  ar<pears,  that  either  the  author  of  this 

history  hath  been  very  defective,  who  having  so  often 

occasion  to  mention  this,  yet  omitteth  so  substantial  a  part 

of  baptism  (which  were  to  accuse  the  Holy  Ghost,  by 

whose  guidance  Luke  wrote  it),  or  else  that  the  apostles 


XXVlll. 


404 


PROPOSITION  XII. 


did  no  ways  understand  that  Christ  by  his  commisb\on 
Matt,  xxviii.,  did  enjoin  them  such  a  form  of  water  bap- 
tism, seeing  they  did  not  use  it.  And  therefore  it  is  safei 
to  conclude,  that  what  they  did  in  administering  wattr 
baptism,  they  did  not  by  virtue  of  that  commission,  e^sv 
they  would  have  so  used  it:  for  our  adversaries  I  suppose 
would  judge  it  a  great  heresy  to  administer  water  bapti;  ir 
without  that,  or  only  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  without  men- 
tion of  Father  or  Spirit,  as  it  is  expressly  said  they  did,  in 
the  two  places  above  cited. 
Al«.  II.  Secondly,  They  say,  If  this  were  not  understood  of 
water  baptism,  it  would  be  a  tautology,  and  all  one  with 
teaching. 

Arsw.  I  say,  Nay  :  Baptizing  with  the  Spirit  is  somewhat  fur- 

ther than  teaching,  or  informing  the  understanding;  for  it 

How  teach-  imports  a  reaching  to,  and  raeUing  the  heart,  whereby  it  is 
ing  and  .  n  i  i  i-       •  c  i      n     •  i 

baptizing  turned,  as  well  as  the  understandmg  miormed.  Besides, 
differ.  (jjjj  often  in  the  scripture,  that  teaching  and  instructing 

are  put  together,  without  any  absurdity,  or  needless  tauto- 
logy ;  and  yet  these  two  have  a  greater  affinity  than  teach- 
ing and  baptizing  with  the  Spirit. 
Alle.  III.  Thirdly,  They  say,  Baptism  in  this  place  must  be  under- 
stood with  water,  because  it  is  the  action  of  the  apostles; 
and  so  cannot  be  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the 
work  of  Christ,  and  his  grace  ;  not  of  man,  &c. 
Answ.  I  answer ;  Baptism  with  the  Spirit,  though  not  wrought 

tismw^ih  without  Christ  and  his  grace,  is  instrumentally  done  by 
the  Spirit    men  fitted  of  God  for  that  i)urpose  ;  and  therefore  no  ab- 

3,scriD6d  to 

godly  men  Surdity  follows,  that  baptism  with  the  Spirit  shoidd  be 
meniB'."'  t^xpressed  as  the  action  of  the  apostles.  For  though  it  be 
Christ  by  his  grace  that  gives  spiritual  gifts,  yet  the  apostle, 
Rom.  i.  11,  speaks  of  his  imparting  to  them  spiritual  gifts ; 
and  he  tells  the  Corinthians,  that  he  had  '<  begotten  them 
through  the  gospel,"  1  Cor.  iv.  15.  And  yet  to  begel 
people  to  the  faith,  is  the  work  of  Christ  and  his  grace,  not 
of  men.  To  convert  the  heart,  is  properly  the  work  of 
Christ ;  and  yet  the  scripture  oftentimes  ascribes  it  to  men, 
as  being  the  instruments:  and  since  Paul's  commissiou 


OF  BAPTISM. 


405 


»'as,  To  turn  people  from  darkness  to  light,  though  that  be 
not  done  without  Christ  co-operating  by  his  grace,  so  it  ay 
also  baptizing  with  the  Spirit  be  expressed,  as  performable 
by  man  as  the  instrument,  though  the  work  of  Christ's 
grace  be  needful  to  concur  thereunto.  So  that  it  is  no 
absurdity  to  say,  that  the  apostles  did  administer  the  bap- 
!i«m  of  the  S|iirit. 

Lastly,  They  say,  That  since  Christ  saith  here,  that  he  Alle.  IV 
v»dl  be  with  his  disciples  to  the  end  of  the  world,  therefore 
water  baptism  must  continue  so  long. 

If  he  had  been  speaking  here  of  water  baptism,  then  that  A>sw. 
might  have  been  urged  ;  but  seeing  that  is  denied,  and 
proved  to  be  false,  nothing  from  thence  can  be  gathered : 
he  speaking  of  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit,  which  we  freely 
confess  doth  remain  to  the  end  of  the  world ;  yea,  so  long 
as  Christ's  presence  abideth  with  his  children. 

§  IX.  Thirdly,  They  object  the  constant  practice  of  the  Obj.  3. 
apostles  in  the  primitive  church,  who,  they  say,  did  always 
administer  water  baptism  to  such  as  they  converted  to  the 
faith  of  Christ ;  and  hence  also  they  further  urge  that  of 
Mat.  xxviii.  to  have  been  meant  of  water ;  or  else  the 
apostles  did  not  understand  it,  because  in  baptizing  they 
used  water ;  or  that  in  so  doing  they  walked  without  a 
commission. 

I  answer ;  That  it  was  the  constant  practice  of  the  apos-  Answ. 
ties,  is  denied  ;  for  we  have  shown,  in  the  example  of  Paul, 
that  it  was  not  so  ;  since  it  were  most  absurd  to  judge  that 
he  converted  only  those  few,  even  of  the  church  of  Corinth, 
whom  he  saith  he  baptized  ;  nor  were  it  less  absura  to  think 
(hat  that  was  a  constant  apostolic  practice,  which  he,  who 
was  not  inferior  to  the  chiefest  of  the  apostles,  and  who 
declares  he  laboured  as  much  as  they  all,  rejoiceth  he  was 
so  little  in.    But  further;  the  conclusion  inferred  from  the  How  th« 
apost'es'  practice  of  baptizing  with  water,  to  evince  that  baptized 
they  understood  Mat.  xxviii.  of  water  baptism,  doth  not 
hold  :  for  though  ihey  baptized  with  water,  it  will  not  fol- 
low that  either  they  did  it  by  virtue  of  that  commission,  or 
that  they  mistook  that  place  ;  nor  can  there  be  any  me  lium 


inr, 


PROPOSITION  XII. 


brouoht,  that  will  infer  such  a  conclusion.  As  to  the  othei 
insinuated  absurdit)',  That  they  did  it  without  a  commis 
sion  ;  it  is  none  at  all :  for  they  might  have  done  it  by  a 
permission,  as  being  in  use  before  Christ's  death  ;  and  be- 
cause the  people,  nursed  up  with  outward  ceremonies, 
could  not  be  weaned  wholly  from  thern.  And  thus  they 
used  other  things,  as  circumcision  and  legal  .purifications, 
which  yet  they  had  no  commission  from  Christ  to  do  :  to 
which  we  shall  speak  more  at  length  in  the  following  pro- 
position concerning  the  supper. 
Ok  ,^  But  if  from  the  sameness  of  the  word,  because  Christ 
bids  them  baptize,  and  they  afterwards  in  the  use  of  water 
are  said  to  baptize,  it  be  judged  probable  that  they  did  un- 
derstand that  commission.  Mat.  xxviii.,  to  authorize  them 
to  baptize  with  water,  and  accordingly  practised  it; 
Ansm.  Although  it  should  be  granted,  that  for  a  season  they  did 

so  far  mistake  it,  as  to  judge  that  water  belonged  to  that 
baptism,  which  however  I  find  no  necessity  of  granting,  yet 
I  see  not  any  great  absurdity  would  thence  follow.  For  it 
is  plain  they  did  mistake  that  commission,  as  to  a  main  part 
of  it,  for  a  .season ;  as  where  he  bids  them  "  Go,  teach  all 
nations ;"  since  some  time  after  they  judged  it  unlawful  to 
The  apo.«-  teach  the  Gentiles;  yea,  Peter  himself  scrupled  it,  until  by 
scruple  'he  a  vision  constrained  thereunto  ;  for  which,  after  he  had  done 
the'^Geu  '^^  ^^^^  '""'^  ^  season,  until  they  were  better  informed, 
tiles.  judged  by  the  rest  of  his  brethren.  Now,  if  the  education 
of  the  apostles  as  Jews,  and  their  propensity  to  adhere  and 
stick  to  the  Jewish  religion,  didjso  far  influence  them,  that 
even  after  Chri.st's  resurrection,  and  the  pouring  forth  of 
the  Spirit,  they  could  not  receive  nor  admit  of  the  teaching 
of  the  Gentiles,  though  Christ,  in  his  commission)  to  them, 
commanded  them  to  preach  to  them  ;  what  further  absurdit) 
were  it  to  suppose,  that,  through  the  like  mistake,  the 
chiefest  of  them  having  been  the  disciples  of  John,  and  his 
baptism  being  so  much  prized  there  among  the  Jews,  they 
also  took  Christ's  baptism,  intended  by  him  of  the  Spirit, 
to  be  that  of  water,  which  was  John's,  and  accordingly 
practised  it  for  a  season      It  suffices  us,  that  if  they  were 


OF  BAPTISM. 


407 


So  raislaken,  though  I  say  not  that  they  were  so,  they  did 
not  always  remain  under  that  mistake:  else  Peter  would 
not  have  said  of  the  baptism  which  now  saves,  "  that  it  is 
uot  a  putting  away  of  the  filth  of  the  flesh,"  which  certainly 
water  baptism  is. 

But  further.  They  urge  much  Peter's  baptizing  Cornelius ; 
ill  which  they  press  two  things.  First,  That  water  baptism 
is  jsed,  even  to  those  that  had  received  the  Spirit.  Se- 
condly, That  it  is  said  positively,  "  he  commanded  them 
to  be  baptized,"  Acts  x.  47,  48. 

But  neither  of  these  doth  necessarily  infer  water  baptism 
to  belong  to  the  new  covenant  dispensation,  nor  yet  to  be 
a  perpetual  standing  ordinance  in  the  church.  For  first,  whether 
all  that  this  will  amount  to,  was,  that  Peter  at  that  time  bjfpfi^zing 
baptised  these  men  ;  but  that  he  did  it  by  virtue  of  that  some  with 
commission,  Mat.  xxviii.,  remains  yet  to  be  proved.  And  makes  it « 
how  doth  the  baptizing  with  water,  after  the  receiving  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  prove  the  case,  more  than  the  use  of  cir-  to  the 
cumcision,  and  other  legal  rites,  acknowledged  to  have 
been  performed  by  him  afterwards?  Also,  it  is  no  wonder 
if  Peter,  who  thought  it  so  strange,  notwithstanding  all  that 
had  been  professed  before,  and  spoken  by  Christ,  that  the 
Gentiles  should  be  made  partakers  of  the  gospel,  and  with 
great  difficulty,  not  without  an  extraordinary  impulse  there- 
unto, was  brought  to  come  to  them,  and  eat  with  them, 
was  apt  to  put  this  ceremony  upon  them  ;  which  being,  as 
it  were,  the  particular  dispensation  of  John,  the  forerunner 
of  Christ,  seemed  to  have  greater  affinity  with  the  gospel, 
than  the  other  Jewish  ceremonies  then  used  by  the  church  ; 
but  that  will  no  ways  infer  our  adversaries'  conclusion. 
Secondly,  As  to  these  words,  "And  he  commanded  them 
to  be  baptized  ;"  it  declareth  matter  of  fact,  not  of  right, 
and  aiiiouiiteth  to  no  more,  than  that  Peter  did  at  that  time, 
pro  hie  nunc^  command  those  persons  to  be  baptized  with 
water,  which  is  not  denied  :  but  it  saith  nothing  that  Peter 
commanded  water  baptism  to  be  a  standing  and  perpetual 
ordinance  to  the  church  :  neither  can  any  man  of  sound 
reason  say,  if  he  heed  what  he  says,  that  a  command  in 


406 


PROPOSITION  XII. 


matter  of  fact  to  particular  persons,  dolh  infer  the  thing 
commanded  to  be  of  general  obligation  to  all,  if  it  be  not 
otherwise  bottomed  upon  some  positive  precept.  Why  doth 
Peter's  commanding  Cornelius  and  his  household  to  be 
baptized  at  that  time  infer  water  baptism  to  continue,  more 
than  his  constraining,  which  is  more  than  commanding, 
the  Gentiles  in  general  to  be  circumcised,  and  observe  the 
law  ?  We  find  at  that  time,  when  Peter  baptized  Cornelius, 
it  was  not  yet  determined  whether  the  Gentiles  should  not 
be  circumcised  ;  but  on  the  contrary,  it  was  the  most  ge- 
neral jense  of  the  church  that  they  should  :  and  therefore 
no  wonder  if  they  thought  it  needful  at  that  time  that  they 
should  be  baptized ;  which  had  more  affinity  with  the  gos- 
pel, and  was  a  burthen  less  grievous. 

Obj.  4.  §  X.  Fourthly  ;  They  object  from  the  signification  of 
the  word  baptize^  which  is  as  much  as  to  dip  and  wash 
with  water ;  alleging  thence,  that  the  very  word  imports  a 
being  baptized  with  water. 

Aitsw.  This  objection  is  very  weak.    For  since  baptizing  with 

water  was  a  rite  among  the  Jews,  as  Paulus  Riccius 

Baptizing    showeth,  even  before  the  coming  of  John  ;  and  that  the 

d^ing'or  ceremony  received  that  name  from  the  nature  of  the  prac- 

washing  {\cq  as  used  both  by  the  Jews  and  by  John  ;  yet  we  find 
with  water  •  .  i  c  i 

that  Christ  and  his  apostles  frequently  make  use  of  these 

te'ms  to  a  more  spiritual  signification.  Circumcision  was 
only  used  and  understood  among  the  Jews  to  be  that  of 
the  flesh  ;  but  the  apostle  tells  us  of  the  circumcifjion  of 
the  heart  and  spirit  made  without  hands.  So  that  though 
baptism  was  used  among  the  Jews  only  to  signify  a  wash- 
i  ing  with  water,  yet  both  John,  Christ,  and  his  apostles, 

speak  of  a  being  "baptized  with  the  Spirit,  and  with  fire;" 
which  they  make  the  peculiar  baptism  of  Christ,  as  contra- 
distinguished from  that  of  water,  which  was  John's,  as  is 
above  shown.  So  that  though  baptism  among  the  Jews 
was  only  understood  of  water,  yet  among  Christians  it  is 
very  well  understood  of  the  Spirit  without  water:  as  we 
see  Christ  and  his  apostles  spiritually  to  understand  things, 
under  the  terms  of  what  had  been  shadows  before.  Thus 


OF  BAPTISM. 


409 


Christ.  sj)eaWi.ig  of  his  body,  though  the  Jews  mistook  him, 

said,  "  Destroy  this  temple,  and  in  three  days  I  will  raise 

it  up ;"  and  many  more  that  might  be  instanced.    But  if 

the  etymology  of  the  word  should  be  tenaciously  adhered 

to,  it  would  militate  against  most  of  our  adversaries,  as 

well  as  against  us;  for  the  Greek  Bair7i'^w  signifies  immergo,  Bair7«^«, 

that  is,  to  plunge  and  dip  in;  and  that  was  the  proper  use  ^i^^{ngo,\o 

of  water  baptism  amon<j  the  Jews,  and  also  by  John,  and  P!"nse  and 

.  .  .    .  .  Q'P  in- 

che  primitive  Christians,  who  used  it ;  whereas  our  adver- 
saries, for  the  most  part,  only  sprinkle  a  little  water  upon 
the  forehead,  which  doth  not  at  all  answer  to  the  word 
baptism.    Yea,  those  of  old  among  Christians  that  used  Those  tnat 
water  baptism,  thought  this  dipping  or  plunging  so  need-  water  bap- 

ful,  that  they  thus  dipped  children:  and  forasmuch  as  it  V?'" 

'    _  •'        ^      }  ^  dipped  and 

was  judged  that  it  might  prove  hurtful  to  some  weak  con-  plunged, 

stitutions,  sprinkling,  to  prevent  that  hurt,  was  introduced  ;  that  were 

vet  then  it  was  likewise  appointed,  that  such  as  were  only  only  sprin- 
■'    _  .  .  kled,  were 

sprinkled,  and  not  dipped,  should  not  be  admitted  to  have  not  admit. 

any  office  in  the  church,  as  not  being  sufficiently  baptized.  office°in"ihe 
So  that  if  our  adversaries  will  stick  to  the  word,  they  must  '"hurch,  and 

why. 

alter  their  method  of  sprinkling. 

Fifthly,  They  object  John  iii.  5,  "Except  a  man  be  born  Obj. 5. 
of  water,  and  of  the  Spirit,"  &c.,  hence  inferring  the  ne- 
cessity of  water  baptism,  as  well  as  of  the  Spirit. 

But  if  this  prove  any  thing,  it  will  prove  water  baptism  Answ. 
to  be  of  absolute  necessity ;   and  therefore  Protestants 
rightly  affirm,  when  this  is  urged  upon  them  by  Papists,  The  water 
to  evince  the  absolute  necessity  of  water  baptism,  that  era'erfs" 
water  is  not  here  understood  of  outward  water ;  but  mysti-  ^^"[^^^^^ 
cally,  of  an  inward  cleansing  and  washing.    Even  as  where 
Christ  speaks  of  being  baptized  with  fire,  it  is  not  to  be  un- 
dei  stood  of  outward  material  fire,  but  only  of  purifying,  by  a 
metonymy  ;  because  to  purify  is  a  proper  effect  of  fire,  as  to 
wash  and  make  clean  is  of  water ;  therefore  the  scripture  al- 
ludes to  water,  where  it  can  as  little  be  so  understood,  as  where 
we  are  said  to  be  saved  by  the  washing  of  regeneration.  Tit. 

iii.  5.  Yea,  Peter  saith  expressly,  in  the  place  often  cited,  as 
»/-.!■         11    1  11       ■         1  •  .  •  oookofhis 

Calvm  well  observes,  "  lhat  the  baptism  which  saves,  is  lnstit.,c.if 

35  3  b 


41U 


PROPOSITION  XII. 


not  the  putting  away  of  the  filth  of  the  flesh."  So  that 
since  water  cannot  be  understood  of  outward  water,  this 
can  serve  nothing  to  prove  water  baptism. 

Object         If  it  be  said,  that  water  imports  here  necessitatem  preB' 
cepti,  though  not  medii ; 

Answ.  I  answer ;  That  is  first  to  take  it  for  granted  that  out- 

ward water  is  here  understood  ;  the  contrary  whereof  we 
have  already  proved.    Next,  water  and  the  Spirit  are 

Neeesjkas  placed  here  together,  "  Except  a  man  be  born  of  wafer 

aM  medii  Spirit,''^  where  the  necessity  of  the  one  is  urged  as 

jrged.  much  as  of  the  other.  Now  if  the  Spirit  be  absolutely  ne- 
cessary, so  will  also  water;  and  then  we  must  either  say, 
that  to  be  born  of  the  Spirit  is  not  absolutely  necessary, 
which  all  acknowledge  to  be  false  ;  or  else,  that  water  is 
absolutely  necessary ;  which,  as  Protestants,  we  affirm,  and 
have  proved,  is  false:  else,  we  must  confess,  that  water  is 
not  here  understood  of  outward  water.  For  to  say  that 
when  water  and  the  Spirit  are  placed  here  just  together, 
and  in  the  same  manner,  though  there  be  not  any  differ 
ence  or  ground  for  it  visible  in  the  text,  or  deducible  from 
it,  That  the  necessity  of  water  is  here  prcecepti,  but  not 
medii,  but  the  necessity  of  the  Spirit  is  both  medii  and  prce- 
repti,  is  indeed  confidently  to  affirm,  but  not  to  prove. 

Obj. 6.  Sixthly  and  lastly;  They  object,  That  the  baptism  of 

water  is  a  visible  sign  or  badge  to  distinguish  Christians 
from  Infidels,  even  as  circumcision  did  the  Jews. 

Answ.  I  answer;  This  saith  nothing  at  all,  unless  it  be  proved 

to  be  a  necessary  precept,  or  part  of  the  new  covenant  dis- 
pensation ;  it  not  being  lawful  for  us  to  impose  outward 
ceremonies  and  rights,  and  say,  they  will  distinguish  us 

Circumci-   from  infidels.    Circumcision  was  positively  commanded, 

ofThe  first  '"^^^  ^'^'^  ^         '^^        ^^^^  Covenant;  but  as  we 

covenant,  have  already  proved  that  there  is  no  such  command  for 
Water  bap-  baptism,  SO  there  is  not  any  word  in  all  the  New  Testa- 
cXd*!^*'^  ment,  calling  it  a  badge  of  Christianity,  or  seal  of  the  new 
bad^e  of  covenant:  and  therefore  to  conclude  it  is  so  because  cir- 
ity.  cunicision  was  so,  unless  some  better  proof  bo  alleged  foi 

it,  is  miserably  to  beg  the  question     The  professing  0/ 


OF  BAPTISM. 


411 


faith  in  Christ,  and  a  holy  life  answering  thereunto,  is  a  far  Which  is 
better  badge  of  Christianity  than  any  outward  washing ;  of'chrff-^ 
which  yet  answers  not  to  that  of  circumcision,  since  that  fan'ty- 
affixed  a  character  in  the  flesh,  which  this  doth  not :  so 
that  a  Christian  is  not  known  to  be  a  Christian  by  his  be- 
ing baptized,  especially  when  he  was  a  child,  unless  he 
tell  them  so  much:  and  may  not  the  professing  of  faith  in  What  ih» 
Christ  signify  that  as  well  ?    I  know  there  are  divers  of  ot  Vai'e/"' 

those  called  the  Fathers,  that  speak  much  of  water  bap-  baptism, 

....  :  '"'^ 

tism,  calling  it  Charaderem  Chnstianitatis :  but  so  did  sign  of  the 

they  also  of  the  sign  of  the  cross,  and  other  such  things, 

justly  rejected  by  Protestants.   For  the  mystery  of  iniquity,  Heathenish 

which  began  to  work  in  the  apostles'  days,  soon  spoiled  fntro'duced* 

the  simplicity  and  purity  of  the  Christian  worship  :  inso-  '"'o.^^^ 

,     1  1  1      •  1     •  •      1    ,  Chnsiian 

much  that  not  only  many  Jewish  rites  were  retained,  but  worship. 

many  heathenish  customs  and  ceremonies  introduced  into 
the  Christian  worship  ;  as  particularly  that  word  sacrament. 
So  that  it  is  a  great  folly,  especially  for  Protestants,  to 
plead  any  thing  of  this  from  tradition  or  antiquity  ;  for  we 
find  that  neither  Papists  nor  Protestants  use  those  rites 
exactly  as  the  ancients  did  ;  who  in  such  things,  not  walk- 
ing by  the  most  certain  rule  of  God's  Spirit,  but  doting  too 
much  upon  externals,  were  very  uncertain.  For  most  of 
them  all,  in  the  primitive  times,  did  wholly  plunge  and 
dip  those  they  baptized,  which  neither  Papists,  nor  most 
Protestants,  do :  yea,  several  of  the  Fathers  accused  some 
as  heretics  in  their  days,  for  holding  some  principles  com- 
mon with  Protestants  concerning  it ;  as  particularly  Au- 
gustine doth  the  Pelagians,  for  saying  that  infants  dying 
unbaptized  may  be  saved.  And  the  Manichees  were  con- 
demned, for  denying  that  grace  is  universally  given  by 
baptism  ;  and  Julian  the  Pelagian  by  Augustine,  for  deny-  Exorcisn-. 
ing  exorcism  and  insufflation  in  the  use  of  baptism:  all^^n!^"''" 
which  things  Protestants  deny  also.  So  that  Protestants 
do  but  foolishly  to  upbraid  us,  as  if  we  could  not  show 
any  among  the  ancients  that  denied  water  baptism  ;  see- 
ing they  cannot  show  any,  whom  they  acknowledge  not  to 
have  been  heretical  \n  several  things,  that  used  it ;  nor  yet, 


413 


PROPOSITION  XII. 


The  8tgn  of  who  using  it,  did  not  also  use  the  sign  of  the  CTOis,  and 

ihccroas.    Q^jjgp  things  with  it,  which  they  deny.    Tiiere  were  some 

Many  in     nevertheless  in  the  darkest  times  of  Popery,  who  testified 

tssdfied^*^  against  water  baptism.    For  one  Alanus,  pag.  103,  104, 

against  wa-  iQ-j  gpeaks  of  some  in  his  time  that  were  burnt  for  tlie 
ter  bap-  .  '  . 

mm.  denying  of  it :  for  they  said,  That  baptism  had  no  efficacy, 
either  in  children  or  adult  persons ;  and  therefore  men 
were  not  obliged  to  take  baptism :  particularly  ten  ca- 
nonics,  so  called,  were  burnt  for  that  crime,  by  the  order 
of  king  Robert  of  France.  And  P.  Pithseus  mentions  it  in 
his  fragments  of  the  history  of  Guienne,  which  is  also  con- 
firmed by  one  Johannes  Floracensis,  a  monk,  who  was 
famous  at  that  time,  in  his  epistle  to  Oliva,  abbot  of  the 
Ausonian  church  :  "I  will,"  saith  he,  "give  you  to  under- 
Ten  canon-  stand  concerning  the  heresy  that  was  in  the  city  of  Orleans 
aTorleans,  Childermas-day  ;  for  it  was  true,  if  ye  have  heard  any 
and  why?  thing,  that  king  Robert  caused  to  be  burnt  alive  near  four- 
teen of  that  city,  of  the  chief  of  their  clergy,  and  the  more 
noble  of  their  laics,  who  were  hateful  to  God,  and  abomin- 
able to  heaven  and  earth  ;  for  they  did  stiffly  deny  the 
grace  of  holy  baptism,  and  also  the  consecration  of  the 
Lord's  body  and  blood."  The  time  of  this  deed  is  noted 
in  these  words  by  Papir.  Masson,  in  his  Annals  of  France, 
lib.  iii.  ;  in  Hugh  and  Robert,  Actum  Jlurelice  publice  anno 
Incarnucionis  Domini  1022;  Regni  Roberti  Regis  28  ;  In- 
dictione  5,  quando  Slephanus  Hceresiarcha  Sf  Complices  ejus 
damnati  sunt     exusti  AurelicB. 

Now  for  their  calling  them  Heretics  and  Manichees,  we 
have  nothing  but  the  testimony  of  their  accusers,  which 
will  no  more  invalidate  their  testimony  for  this  truth  against 
the  use  of  water  baptism,  or  give  more  ground  to  charge 
us,  as  being  one  with  the  Manichees,  than  because  some, 
called  by  them  Manichees,  do  agree  with  Protestants  in 
some  thinsfs,  that  therefore  Protestants  are  Manichees  or 
Heretics,  which  Protestants  can  no  ways  shun.  For  the 
question  is.  Whether,  in  what  they  did,  they  walked  ac- 
cording to  the  truth  testified  of  by  the  Spirit  in  the  holy 
scriptures '   So  that  the  controversy  is  brought  back  again 


OF  THE  BODY  AND  BLOOD  OF  CHRIST. 


413 


to  the  scriptures,  according  to  which,  I  suppose,  I  hi.ve 
already  discussed  it. 

As  for  the  latter  part  of  the  thesis,  denying  the  use  of  The  bap- 
infant  baptism,  it  necessarily  follows  from  what  is  above  {anTs  a 
said.  For  if  water  baptism  be  ceased,  then  surely  baptiz- 
ing  of  infants  is  not  warrantable.  But  those  that  take 
Ipon  them  to  oppose  us  in  this  matter,  will  have  more  to 
lo  as  to  this  latter  part :  for  after  they  have  done  what 
they  can  to  prove  water  baptism,  it  remains  for  them  to 
prove  that  infants  ought  to  be  baptized.  For  he  that 
proves  water  baptism  ceased,  proves  that  infant  baptism  is 
vain :  but  he  that  should  prove  that  water  baptism  con 
tinues,  has  not  thence  proved  that  infant  baptism  is  neces- 
sary;  that  needs  something  further.  And  therefore  it  was 
a  pitiful  subterfuge  of  Nic.  Arnoldus  against  this,  to  say, 
That  the  denying  of  infant  baptism  belonged  to  the  gan- 
grene of  the  Anabaptists,  without  adding  any  further 
proof. 


PROPOSITION  XIII. 

Cmcerning  the  Communion,  or  Participation  of  the  Body 
and  Blood  of  Christ. 

The  communion  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  is  inward  i  Cor.  j. 
and  spiritual,  which  is  the  participation  of  his  flesh  and  jo'im  vi  38 
blood,  by  which  the  inward  man  is  daily  nourished  in  j'^^^' 
the  hearts  of  those  in  whom  Christ  dwells.    Of  which 
things  the  breaking  of  bread  by  Christ  with  his  disciples 
was  a  figure,  which  even  they  who  had  received  the  sub- 
.stance  used  in  the  church  tor  a  time,  for  the  sake  of  the 
weak ;  even  as  abstaining  from  things  strangled,  and  from  Acis  xv.  30 
blood,  the  washing  one  another's  feet,  and  the  anointing  ^4''" 
of  the  sick  with  oil :  all  which  are  commanded  with  no  J^mes  v 
less  authority  and  solemnity  than  the  former;  yet  seeing 
they  are  but  shadows  of  better  things,  they  cease  in 
such  as  have  obtained  the  substance. 
35* 


414 


PROPOSITION  XIII. 


The  body 
and  blood 
of  Chrisi  is 
spiritual. 


Object. 


Answ. 


What  tlie 
heavenly 
seed  is, 
whereby 
formerly, 
and  also 
now,  life 
and  salva- 
tion was 
and  is  com. 
municated 


§  I.  The  cjmmunion  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ 
is  a  mystery  hid  from  all  natural  men,  in  their  first  fallen 
and  degenerate  state,  which  they  cannot  understand,  leach 
to,  nor  comprehend,  as  they  there  abide  ;  neither,  as  .hey 
there  are,  can  the"  be  partakers  of  it,  nor  yet  are  they  able 
to  discern  the  Lord's  body.  And  forasmuch  as  the  Chris- 
tian world,  so  called,  for  the  most  part  hath  been  still 
labouring,  working,  conceiving  and  imagining,  in  theii 
own  natural  and  unrenewed  understandings,  about  the 
things  of  God  and  religion  ;  therefore  hath  this  mystery 
been  much  hid  and  sealed  up  from  them,  while  they  hav*- 
been  contending,  quarrelling  and  fighting  one  with  another 
about  the  mere  shadow,  outside  and  form,  but  strangers  to 
the  substance,  life  and  virtue. 

§  II.  The  body  then  of  Christ,  which  believers  partake 
of,  is  spiritual,  and  not  carnal;  and  his  blood,  which  they 
drink  of,  is  pure  and  heavenly,  and  not  human  or  element- 
ary, as  Augu-stine  also  affirms  of  the  body  of  Christ,  which 
is  eaten,  in  his  Tractat.,  Psal.  xcviii.,  "  Except  a  man  eat 
ray  flesh,  he  hath  not  in  him  life  eternal:"  and  he  saith, 
"  The  words  which  I  speak  unto  you  are  Spirit  and  life  ; 
understand  spiritually  what  I  have  spoken.  Ye  shall  not 
eat  of  this  body  which  ye  see,  and  drink  this  blood  which 
they  shall  .spill,  which  crucify  me — I  am  the  living  bread, 
who  have  descended  from  heaven.  He  calls  himself  the 
bread,  who  descended  from  heaven,  exhorting  that  we 
might  believe  in  him,"  &c. 

If  it  be  asked  then.  What  that  body,  what  that  flesh  and 
blood  is .'' 

I  answer ;  It  is  that  heavenly  seed,  that  divine,  spiritual, 
celestial  substance,  of  which  we  spake  before  in  the  fifth 
and  sixth  propositions.  This  is  that  spiritual  body  of 
Clirist,  whereby  and  through  which  he  communicateth  life 
to  men,  and  salvation  to  as  many  as  believe  in  him,  and  re- 
ceive him  ;  and  whereby  also  man  comes  to  have  fellow- 
ship and  communion  with  God.  This  is  proved  from  the 
6lh  of  John,  from  verse  32,  to  the  end,  where  Christ  .speaks 
more  at  large  of  this  matter,  than  in  any  other  place  :  and 


OF  THE  BODY  AND  BLOOD  OF  CHRIST. 


Alt 


indeed  this  evangelist  and  beloved  disciple,  who  lay  in  the 
Dosora  of  our  Lord,  gives  us  a  more  I'ldl  account  of  the 
spiritual  sayings  and  doctrine  of  Christ  than  any  other  :  and 
'tis  observable,  that  though  he  speaks  nothing  of  the  cere- 
mony used  by  Christ  of  breaking  bread  with  his  disciples, 
neither  in  his  evangelical  account  of  Christ's  life  and  suf- 
ferings, nor  in  his  epistles ;  yet  he  is  more  large  in  this 
account  of  the  participation  of  the  body,  flesh  and  blood 
of  Christ,  than  any  of  them  all.  For  Christ,  in  this  chap- 
ter, perceiving  that  the  Jews  did  follow  him  for  love  of  the 
loaves,  desires  them,  verse  27,  to  "  labour  not  for  the  meat 
which  perisheth,  but  for  that  meat  which  endureth  for 
ever:"  but  forasmuch  as  they,  being  carnal  in  their  appre- 
hensions, and  not  understanding  the  spiritual  language  and 
doctrine  of  Christ,  did  judge  the  manna,  which  Moses 
gave  their  fathers,  to  be  the  most  excellent  bread,  as 
coming  from  heaven  ;  Christ,  to  rectify  that  mistake,  and 
better  inform  them,  affirmeth.  First,  That  it  is  not  Moses, 
but  his  Father,  that  giveth  the  true  bread  from  heaven, 
vers.  32  and  48.  Secondly,  This  bread  he  calls  himself, 
vers.  35,  "I  am  the  bread  of  life:"  and  vers.  51,  "I  am 
the  living  bread,  which  came  down  from  heaven."  Thirdly, 
He  declares  that  this  bread  is  his  flesh,  vers.  51,  "  The  The  origin 
bread  that  I  will  give,  is  my  flesh;"  and  vers.  55,  "  For  "S  ? 
my  flesh  is  meat  indeed,  and  my  blood  is  drink  indeed."  jjggd*"^^ 
Fourthly,  The  necessity  of  j)artaking  thereof,  vers.  53,  blood  of 
"Except  ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  man,  and  drink 
his  blood,  ye  have  no  life  in  you."  And  lastly.  The  blessed 
fruits  and  necessary  effects  of  this  communion  of  the  body 
and  blood  of  Christ,  vers.  33,  «  This  bread  giveth  life  to 
the  wor.d."  Vers.  50,  He  that  eateth  thereof,  dieth 
not.  Vers.  58,  "  He  that  eateth  of  this  bread  shall  live 
for  ever."  Vers.  54,  Whoso  eateth  this  flesh,  and  drink- 
eth  this  blood,  shall  live  for  ever.  Vers.  56,  And  he 
dwelleth  in  Christ,  and  Christ  in  him.  Vers.  57,  And 
shall  live  by  Christ.  From  this  large  description  of  the 
origin,  nature,  and  eflects  of  this  body,  flesh  and  blood  of 
Christ,  it  is  apparent  that  it  is  spiritiuil,  and  to  be  umicr 


416 


fKO POSITION  XIII. 


stood  of  a  spiritual  body,  and  not  of  that  body,  o:  temple 
of  Jesus  Christ,  which  was  born  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  and 
in  which  he  walked,  lived,  ana  suffered  in  the  land  of 
Judea ;  because  it  is  said,  that  it  fame  down  fiom  heaven, 
yea,  that  it  is  he  that  came  down  from  heaven.  Now  all 
Christians  at  present  generally  acknowledge,  that  the  out- 
ward body  of  Christ  came  not  down  from  heaven  ;  neitiiei 
was  it  that  part  of  Christ  which  came  down  from  heaven. 
And  to  put  the  matter  out  of  doubt,  when  the  carnal  Jews 
would  have  been  so  understanding  it,  he  tells  them  plainly, 
ver.  63,  "  It  is  the  Spirit  that  quickeneth,  but  the  flesh 
Solid  rea-  profiteth  nothing."  This  is  also  founded  upon  most  sound 
b*hi8*8i}irh-        solid  reason ;  because  it  is  the  soul,  not  the  body,  that 


ual  body  js  to  be  nourished  by  this  flesh  and  blood.  Now  outward 
Christ 


spii 
ody 

speaks  of.  flesh  cannot  nourish  nor  feed  the  soul ;  there  is  no  propor- 
tion nor  analogy  betwixt  them ;  neither  is  the  communion 
of  the  saints  with  God  by  a  conjunction  and  mutual  par- 
1  Cor.  vi.  ticipation  of  flesh,  but  of  the  Spirit:  "He  that  is  joined 
to  the  Lord  is  one  Spirit,"  not  one  flesh.  For  the  flesh  (I 
mean  outward  flesh,  even  such  as  was  that  wherein  Christ 
lived  and  walked  when  upon  earth  ;  and  not  flesh,  when 
transformed  by  a  metaphor,  to  be  understood  spiritually) 
can  only  partake  of  flesh,  as  spirit  of  spirit :  as  the  body 
cannot  feed  upon  spirit,  neither  can  the  spirit  feed  upon 
flesh.  And  that  the  flesh  here  spoken  of  is.  spiritually  to 
be  understood,  appears  further,  inasmuch  as  that  which 
feedeth  upon  it  shall  never  die  ;  but  the  bodies  of  all  men 
once  die  ;  yea,  it  was  necessary  that  the  body  of  Chiist  him- 
self should  die.  That  this  body,  and  spiritual  flesh  and 
blood  of  Christ,  is  to  be  understood  of  that  divine  and  hea- 
venly seed,  before  spoken  of  by  us,  appears  both  by  the 
nature  and  fruits  of  it.  First,  it  is  said,  it  is  that  which 
Cometh  down  from  heaven,  and  giveth  life  unto  the  world : 
now  this  answers  to  that  light  and  seed,  which  ii  testified 
This  spirit- of,  John  i.,  to  be  the  light  of  the  world,  and  the  life 
undseedis  men.  For  that  spiritual  light  and  seed,  as  it  receives 
as  bread  to  place  in  men's  hearts,  and  rooin  to  spring  up  there,  is  as 

the  hurgry  f       ,        ,      ,  ,  „  .     .  i     i    ,  • 

ioul.         bread  to  the  hungry  and  fainting  soul,  that  is,  as  n  were, 


OF  THE  BODY  AND  BLOOD  OF  CHRIST. 


411 


buried  and  dead  in  tlie  lusts  of  the  world  ;  which  receives 
life  again,  and  revives,  as  it  tasteth  and  partaketh  of  this 
heavenly  bread :  and  they  that  partake  of  it  are  said  to 
come  to  Christ;  neither  can  any  have  it,  but  by  coming  to 
him,  and  believing  in  the  appearance  of  his  light  in  their 
hearts  ;  by  receiving  which,  and  believing  in  it,  the  parti- 
cipation of  this  body  and  bread  is  known.  And  that  Christ 
understands  the  same  thing  here  by  his  body,  flesh  and 
blood,  which  is  understood,  John  i.,  by  the  '<  light  enlight- 
ening every  man,"  and  the  life,  &c.,  appears  ;  for  the  light 
and  life,  spoken  of  John  i.,  is  said  to  be  Christ ;  "He  is 
the  true  light:"  and  the  bread  and  flesh,  &c.,  spoken  of  in 
John  vi.,  is  called  Christ;  "  I  am  the  bread  of  life,"  saith 
he.  Again,  They  that  received  that  light  and  life,  John  i. 
12,  obtained  power  to  become  the  sons  of  God,  by  believ- 
ing in  his  name :  so  also  here,  John  vi.  35,  he  that 
cometh  unto  this  bread  of  life  shall  not  hunger  ;  and  he  that 
believes  in  him,  who  is  this  bread,  shall  never  thirst.  So 
then,  as  there  was  the  outward  visible  body  and  temple  of  Chnst's 
Jesus  Christ,  which  took  its  origin  from  the  Virgin  Mary  ;  and  spirit- 
there  is  also  the  spiritual  body  of  Christ,  by  and  through  jfjijj,"''*' 
which  He  that  was  the  "  Word  in  the  beginning  with  God,"  guished. 
and  was  and  is  GOD,  did  reveal  himself  to  the  sons  of  men 
in  all  ages,  and  whereby  men  in  all  ages  come  to  be  made 
partakers  of  eternal  life,  and  to  have  communion  and 
fellowship  with  God  and  Christ.  Of  which  body  of  Christ, 
and  flesh  and  blood,  if  both  Adam,  and  Seth,  and  Enoch,  The  patri 
and  Noah,  and  Abraham,  and  Moses,  and  David,  and  all  eat  o^f?h« 
the  prophets  and  holy  men  of  God,  had  not  eaten,  they  body  of 
had  not  had  life  in  them  ;  nor  could  their  inward  man  have 
been  nourished.  Now  as  the  outward  body  and  temple 
was  called  Christ,  so  was  also  his  spiritual  body,  no  less 
properly,  and  that  long  before  that  outward  body  was  in 
being.  Hence  the  apostle  saith,  1  Cor.  x.  3,  4,  that  the 
"  Fathers  did  all  eat  the  same  spiritual  meat,  and  did  all 
drink  the  same  spiritual  drink  :  for  they  drank  of  that  spiritual 
rock  that  followed  them,  and  that  rock  was  Christ."  This 
cannot  be  understood  oliicrwise  than  of  this  spiritual  body 

3r 


418 


PROPOSITION  XIII 


of  Christ ;  which  spiritual  body  of  Christ,  though  it  was 
the  saving  food  of  tiie  righteous  both  before  the  law  and 
under  the  law ;  yet  under  the  law  it  was  veiled  and  sha- 
dowed, and  covered  under  divers  types,  ceremonies,  and 
observations  ;  yea,  and  not  only  so,  but  it  was  veiled  and 
hid,  in  some  respect,  under  the  outward  temple  and  body 
of  Christ,  or  during  the  continuance  of  it ;  so  that  the  Jews 
could  not  understand  Christ's  preaching  about  it  while  on 
earth  ;  and  not  the  Jews  only,  but  many  of  his  disciples, 
Joonvi. 60,  judging  it  a  hard  saying,  murmured  at  it;  and  many 
from  that  time  went  back  from  him,  and  walked  no  more 
with  him.  I  doubt  not  but  that  there  are  many  also  at 
this  day,  professing  to  be  the  disciples  of  Christ,  that  do 
as  little  understand  this  matter  as  those  did,  and  are  as  apt 
to  be  offended,  and  stumble  at  it,  while  they  are  gazing 
and  following  after  the  outward  body,  and  look  not  to  that 
by  which  the  saints  are  daily  fed  and  nourished.  For 
as  Jesus  Christ,  in  obedience  to  the  will  of  the  Father, 
did  by  the  eternal  Spirit  offer  up  that  body  for  a  propitia- 
The  divine  tion  for  the  remission  of  sins,  and  finished  his  testimony 
clirist  doth  upon  earth  thereby,  in  a  most  perfect  example  of  patience, 
saintVim-  rt^signation  and  holiness,  that  all  might  be  made  partakers 
takers  of  of  the  fruit  of  that  sacrifice  ;  so  hath  he  likewise  poured 
forth  into  the  hearts  of  all  men  a  measure  of  that  divine 
light  and  seed  wherewith  he  is  clothed  ;  that  thereby,  reach- 
ing unto  the  consciences  of  all,  he  may  raise  them  up  out 
of  death  and  darkness  by  his  life  and  light,  and  thereby 
may  be  made  partakers  of  his  body,  and  therethrough 
come  to  have  fellowship  with  the  Father  and  with  the  Son. 
Quest.         §  III.  If  it  be  asked.  How  and  after  what  manner  man 

comes  to  partake  of  it,  and  to  be  fed  by  it  ? 
Assw.  I  answer  in  the  plain  and  express  words  of  Christ,  "  i 

Johnvi  35  am  the  bread  of  life,"  saith  he;  "he  that  cometh  to  me 
shall  never  hunger ;  he  that  belleveth  in  me  shall  never 
thirst."  And  again,  "  For  my  flesh  is  meat  Indeed,  and 
my  blood  is  drink  indeed."  So  whosoever  thou  art  that 
askest  this  question,  or  readest  these  lines,  whether  tliou 
accountest  tliyself  a  believer,  or  really  feelest,  by  a  certaiu 


and  ^5 


OK  THF.   BODY   AND  BLOOD  OF  CHRIST. 


419 


And  Sdd  experience,  that  tliou  art  yet  in  tlie  unbelief,  anQ 
findest  that  the  outward  body  and  flesh  of  Christ  is  so  far 
from  thee,  that  thou  canst  not  reach  it,  nor  feed  upon  it ; 
yf",  though  thou  hast  often  swallowed  down  and  taken  in 
t^'^l  which  the  Papists  have  persuaded  thee  to  be  the  real 
flesh  and  blood  of  Christ,  and  hast  believed  it  to  be  so, 
though  all  thy  senses  told  thee  the  contrary  ;  or,  being  a 
Lutheran,  hast  taken  that  bread,  in  and  with  and  under  The  Lu- 
whirh  the  Lutherans  have  assured  thee  that  the  flesh  and    j''!"^,  • 

and  Oalvii, 

blocd  of  Christ  is;  or,  being  a  Calvinist,  hast  partaken  of  isis' opin- 
that  which  the  Calvinists  say,  though  a  figure  only  of  the  'fleTli'anil 
body,  gives  them  who  take  it  a  real  participation  of  the  Q^^^t^'^ 
body,  flesh,  and  blood  of  Christ,  though  they  never  knew  the  supper, 
how^  nor  what  way  ;  I  say,  if  for  all  this  thou  findest  thy  ^" 
soul  yet  barren,  yea,  hungry,  and  ready  to  starve,  for  want 
of  something  thou  longest  for ;  know  that  that  light  that 
discovers  thy  iniquity  to  thee,  that  shows  thee  thy  barren- 
ness, thy  nakedness,  thy  emptiness,  is  that  body  which  thou 
must  partake  of,  and  feed  upon :  but  that  till  by  forsaking 
iniquity  thou  turnest  to  it,  comest  unto  it,  receivest  it, 
though  thou  mayest  hunger  after  it,  thou  canst  not  be  satis- 
fied with  it;   for  it  hath  no   communion  with  darkness,  2 Cor.vi.l4 
nor  canst  thou  drink  of  the  cup  of  the  Lord,  and  the  cup 
of  devils:  and  be  partaker  of  the  Lord's  table,  and  the 
table  of  devils,"  1  Cor.  x.  21.    But  as  thou  sufTerest  that 
small  seed  of  righteousness  to  arise  in  thee,  and  to  be 
formed  into  a  birth;  that  new  substantial  birth,  that  isHowthein 
brought  forth  in  the  soul,  naturally  feeds  upon  and  is  ^^nourieh- 
nourished  by  this  spiritual  body  ;  yea,  as  this  outward  birth 
lives  not  but  as  it  draws  in  breath  by  the  outward  element- 
ary air,  so  this  new  birth  lives  not  in  the  soul,  but  as  it 
draws  in  and  breathes  by  that  spiritual  air  or  vehicle.  And 
as  the  outward  birth  cannot  subsist  without  some  outward 
body  to  feed  upon,  some  outward  flesh,  and  some  outward 
drink,  so  neither  can  this  inward  birth,  unless  it  be  fed  by 
this  inward  flesh  and  blood  of  Christ,  which  answers  to  it 
after  the  same  manner,  by  way  of  analogy.    And  this  is 
most  agrieable  to  the  doctrin';  of  Christ  concerning  this 


420  PROPOSITION  XIII. 

matter.    For  as  without  outward  food  the  natural  bodj 

John  vi.  f3.  hath  not  life,  so  also  saith  Christ,  "  Except  ye  eet  the  flesh 
of  the  Son  of  man,  and  drink  his  blood,  ye  have  no  life  in 
you."    And  as  the  outward  body,  eating  outward  food, 

Johnvi.  57.  lives  thereby,  so  Christ  saith,  that  he  that  eateth  him  shall 
live  by  him.  So  it  is  this  inward  participation  of  this  in- 
ward man,  of  this  inward  and  spiritual  body,  by  which  man 
is  united  to  God,  and  has  fellowship  and  communion  with 
him.    "  He  that  eateth  my  flesh,  and  drinketh  ray  blood," 

Johnvi. 56.  saith  Christ,  "  dwelleth  in  me,  and  I  in  him."  This  cannot 
be  understood  of  outward  eating  of  outward  bread  ;  and 
as  by  this  the  soul  must  have  fellowship  with  God,  so  also, 
so  far  as  all  the  saints  are  partakers  of  this  one  body  and 
one  blood,  they  come  also  to  have  a  joint  communion. 
Hence  the  apostle,  1  Cor.  x.  17,  in  this  respect  saith,  that 
they  "  being  many,  are  one  bread,  and  one  body ;"  and  to 

Verse  16.  the  wise  among  the  Corinthians  he  saith,  "  The  bread  which 
we  break  is  it  not  the  communion  of  the  body  of  Christ.''" 

The  true    This  is  the  true  and  spiritual  supper  of  the  Lord,  which 

spiritual  i  i     i       ■         i  c  /-ii  • 

supper  of  men  come  to  partake  or,  by  hearmg  the  voice  oi  Christ, 
the  Lord,  j  opening  the  door  of  their  hearts,  and  so  letting  him  in 
in  the  manner  abovesald,  according  to  the  plain  words  of 
the  scripture,  Rev.  iii.  20,  "  Behold  I  .stand  at  the  door 
and  knock  ;  if  any  man  hear  my  voice,  and  open  the  door, 
I  will  come  in  to  him,  and  will  sup  with  him,  and  he  with 
me."  So  that  the  supper  of  the  Lord,  and  the  supping  with 
the  Lord,  and  partaking  of  his  flesh  and  blood,  is  no  ways 
limited  to  the  ceremony  of  breaking  bread  and  drinking 
wine  at  particular  times,  but  is  truly  and  really  enjoyed,  as 
often  as  the  soul  retires  into  the  light  of  the  Lord,  and  feels 
and  partakes  of  that  heavenly  life  by  which  the  inward  man 
is  nourished  ;  which  may  be  and  is  often  witnessed  by  the 
faithful  at  all  times,  though  more  particularly  when  they  are 
assembled  together  to  wait  upon  the  Lord. 

§  IV.  But  what  confusion  the  professors  of  Christianity 
have  run  into  concerning  this  matter,  is  more  than  obvious; 
who,  as  in  most  other  things  they  have  done,  for  want  of 
a  tiue  .spiritual  understanding,  have  sought  to  tie  this  sup- 


OF  THE  BODY  AND  BLOOD  OF  CHRIST. 


421 


per  of  the  Lord  to  that  ceremony  used  hy  Christ  before  his  Man  if  not 
death,  of  breaking  bread  and  drinking  wine  with  his  dis(,i-  certmony* 
pies.    And  though  they  for  the  most  part  agree  generally  ^[^^j^^'^j'" 
in  this,  yet  how  do  they  contend  and  debate  one  against  drinking 
another  !    How  strangely  are  they  pinched,  pained,  and  cJirtsrdid 
straitened  to  make  the  spiritual  mystery  agree  to  that  cere-  use  with  hi8 

I      A     I     I  1       I  1       •   •  1  disciples ; 

mony !    And  what  monstrous  and  wild  opinions  and  con-  this  only 
ceptions  have  they  invented,  to  inclose  or  affix  the  body  j^,"^^*'**' 
of  Christ  to  their  bread  and  wine  ?    From  which  opinion 
not  only  the  greatest,  and  fiercest,  and  most  hurtful  con- 
tests, both  among  the  professors  of  Christianity  in  general, 
and  among  Protestants  in  particular,  have  arisen ;  but  also 
such  absurdities,  irrational  and  blasphemous  consequences 
have  ensued,  as  make  the  Christian  religion  odious  and  What 
hateful  to  Jews,  Turks,  and  heathen.    The  professors  of  christian* 
Christianity  do  chiefly  divide  in  this  matter  into  three  [,^'(f,^",„ 
opinions.  Jews, 
The  first  is  of  those  that  say,  The  substance  of  the  bread  he'a'ihe'n!'" 

is  transubstantiated  into  the  very  substance  of  that  same 

.  pists  faith 

body,  flesh,  and  blood  of  Christ,  which  was  born  of  the  of  Christ's 
Virgin  Mary,  and  crucified  by  the  Jews  ;  so  that  after  the 
words  of  consecration,  as  they  call  them,  it  is  no  more 
bread,  but  the  body  of  Christ. 

The  second  is  of  such  who  say,  The  substance  of  the  The  Lu- 
bread  remains,  but  that  also  that  body  is  in,  and  with,  and  faith, 
under  the  bread  ;  so  that  both  the  substance  of  bread,  and 
of  the  body,  flesh,  and  blood  of  Christ,  is  there  also. 

The  third  is  of  those,  that,  denying  both  these  do  affirm,  The  Cal 
That  the  body  of  Christ  is  not  there  corporally  or  substan-  faTth.'^ 
tially,  but  yet  that  it  is  really  and  sacramentally  received 
by  the  faithful  in  the  use  of  bread  and  wine  ;  but  how  or 
wiiat  way  it  is  there,  they  know  not,  nor  can  they  tell ;  only 
(ve  must  believe  it  is  there,  yet  so  that  it  is  only  properly 
m  heaven. 

It  is  not  my  design  to  enter  into  a  refutation  of  these 
several  opinions ;  for  each  of  their  authors  and  assertors 
have  sufficiently  refuted  one  another,  and  are  all  of  them 
'JO  less  strong  both  from  scripture  and  reason  in  refuting 
36 


122 


PROPOSITION  XIII. 


each  their  contrary  parties'  opinion,  than  they  are  weak  m 
estabHshing  their  own.  For  I  often  have  seriously  observed, 
in  reading  their  respective  writings,  and  so  it  may  be  have 
others,  that  all  of  them  do  notably,  in  so  far  as  they  refute 
the  contrary  opinions ;  but  that  they  are  mightily  pained, 
when  they  come  to  confirm  and  plead  for  their  own.  Hence 
I  necessarily  must  conclude,  that  none  of  them  had  attained 
to  the  truth  and  substance  of  this  mystery.    Let  us  see  if 
*  Inst.  lib.  Calvin,*  after  he  had  refuted  the  two  former  opinions,  lie 
IT.  cap.  1«.  jjjQ^g  successful  in  what  he  affirms  and  asserts  for  the  truth 
of  his  opinion,  who,  after  he  hath  much  laboured  in  over- 
turning and  refuting  the  two  former  opinions,  plainly  con- 
fesseth,  that  he  knows  not  what  to  affirm  instead  of  them. 
For  after  he  has  spoken  much,  and  at  last  concluded 
J.  Calvin's  "  that  the  body  of  Christ  is  there,  and  that  the  saints  must 
Christ's     needs  partake  thereof,"  at  last  he  lands  in  these  words, 
flesh  and    g^^.^  39  u  But  if  it  be  asked  me  how  it  is?  I  shall  not  be 

blood  un-  ' 

certain.  ashamed  to  confess,  that  it  is  a  secret  too  high  for  me  to 
comprehend  in  my  spirit,  or  explain  in  words."  Here  he 
deals  very  ingenuously ;  and  yet  who  would  have  thought 
that  such  a  man  would  have  been  brought  to  this  strait 
in  the  confirming  of  his  opinion considering  that  a  little 
before,  in  the  same  chapter,  sect.  15,  he  accuseth  the 
The  like  school-men  among  the  Papists,  and  I  confess  truly,  in  that 
they  neither  understand  nor  explain  to  others  how  Christ  is 
in  the  eucharist,  which  shortly  after  he  confesseth  himself 
he  cannot  do.  If  then  the  school-men  among  the  Papists 
do  neither  understand  nor  yet  explain  to  others  their  doc- 
trine in  this  matter,  nor  Calvin  can  comprehend  it  in  his 
spirit,  which  I  judge  is  as  much  as  not  to  understand  it, 
nor  express  it  in  words,  and  then  surely  he  cannot  explain 
it  to  others,  then  no  certainty  is  to  be  had  from  either  of 
them.  There  have  been  great  endeavours  used  for  recon- 
cilement in  this  matter,  both  betwixt  Papists  and  Lutherans, 
Lutherans  and  Calvinists,  yea,  and  Calvinists  and  Papists, 
but  all  to  no  purpose  ;  and  many  forms  and  manners  of 
expressions  drawn  up,  to  which  all  might  yield  ;  which  in 
the  end  proved  in  vain,  seeing  every  one  understood  them 


ihe  Papists 


OF  THE  BODY  AND  BLOOD  01  CHRIST. 


423 


and  interpreted  them  in  their  own  way;  and  so  they  did 
thereby  but  equivocate  and  deceive  one  another.  The 
reason  of  all  this  contention  is,  because  they  had  not  a 
clea'"  understanding  of  the  mystery,  and  were  doting  about 
shadows  and  externals.  For  both  the  ground  and  matter 
of  their  contest  lies  in  things  extrinsic  from,  and  unneces- 
sary to,  the  main  matter.  And  this  hath  been  often  the  Satan  bu- 
policy  of  Satan,  to  busy  people,  and  amuse  them  with  out-  fn^outward 

ward  signs,  shadows,  and  forms,  making  them  contend  sig"s.  sha- 

.         ,     ^  ,  .  dows,  and 

about  that,  while  in  the  mean  time  the  substance  is  ne-  forms, 

glected  ;  yea,  and  in  contending  for  these  shadows  he  stirs  neg'iect'the 
them  up  to  the  practice  of  malice,  heat,  revenge,  and  other  substance 
vices,  by  which  he  establisheth  his  kingdom  of  darkness 
among  them,  and  ruins  the  life  of  Christianity.    For  there 
have  been  more  animosities  and  heats  about  this  one  parti- 
cular, and  more  bloodshed  and  contention,  than  about  any 
other.    And  surely  they  are  little  acquainted  with  the  state  What  hath 
of  Protestant  affairs,  who  know  not  that  their  contentions  fuf "o*th"' 
about  this  have  been  more  hurtful  to  the  reformation  than  r^forma- 
all  the  opposition  they  met  with  from  their  common  adver- 
saries.   Now  all  those  uncertain  and  absurd  opinions,  and  Two  erron 
the  contentions  therefrom  arising,  have  jjroceeded  from  ontfJcon^ 
their  all  agreeing  in  two  general  errors  concerning  this 
thing;  which  being  denied  and  receded  from,  as  they  are  supper, 
by  us,  there  would  be  an  easy  way  made  for  reconciliation, 
and  we  should  all  meet  in  one  spiritual  and  true  under- 
standing of  this  mystery  :  and  as  the  contentions,  so  would 
also  the  absurdities  which  follow  from  all  the  three  fore- 
mentioned  opinions,  cea.se  and  fall  to  the  ground. 

The  first  of  these  errors  is,  in  making  the  communion  or 
participation  of  the  body,  flesh,  and  blood  of  Christ  to  re- 
late to  that  outward  body,  vessel,  or  temple,  that  was  born 
of  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  walked  and  sufl'ered  in  Judea ; 
whereas  it  should  relate  to  the  spiritual  body,  flesh,  and 
blood  of  Christ,  even  that  heavenly  and  celestial  light  and 
life,  which  was  the  food  and  nourishment  of  the  regenerate 
in  all  ages,  as  we  have  already  proved. 

The  secc  nd  error  is,  in  tying  this  participation  of  the 


424 


PROPOSITION  XIII. 


body  and  blood  of  Christ  to  that  ceremony  used  by  him 
with  his  disciples  in  the  breaking  of  bread,  &.C.,  as  if  it  had 
only  a  relation  thereto,  or  were  only  enjoyed  in  the  use  of 
that  ceremony,  which  it  neither  hath  nor  is.  For  this  is 
that  bread  which  Christ  in  his  prayer  teaches  to  call  for, 
terming  it  tov  cifov  tov  tVissiov,  i.  e.,  the  super-substantial 
bread,  as  the  Greek  hath  it,  and  which  the  soul  partakes  of, 
without  any  relation  or  necessary  respect  to  this  ceremony, 
as  shall  be  hereafter  proved  more  at  length. 

These  two  errors  being  thus  laid  aside,  and  the  conten- 
tions arising  therefrom  buried,  all  are  agreed  in  the  main 
Beuevers'  positions,  viz. :  First,  that  the  body,  flesh,  and  blood  of 
rea/lyl^ed  Christ  is  necessary  for  the  nourishing  of  the  soul.  Secondly, 
flesh  and  ^^'^^  souls  of  believers  do  really  and  truly  partake  and 
blood  of  feed  upon  the  body,  flesh,  and  blood  of  Christ.  But  while 
Christ.      ^^^^^  content  with  the  spirituality  of  this  mystery, 

going  in  their  own  wills,  and  according  to  their  own  in- 
ventions, to  strain  and  wrest  the  .scriptures  to  tie  this 
spiritual  communion  of  the  flesh  and  blood  of  Christ  to 
outward  bread  and  wine,  and  such  like  carnal  ordinances, 
no  wonder  if  by  their  carnal  apprehensions  they  run  into 
confusion.    But  because  it  hath  been  generally  supposed 
that  the  communion  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  had 
some  special  relation  to  the  ceremony  of  breaking  bread, 
I  shall  first  refute  that  opinion,  and  then  proceed  to  con- 
sider the  nature  and  use  of  that  ceremony,  and  whether  it 
be  now  necessary  to  continue ;  answering  the  reasons  and 
objections  of  such  as  plead  its  continuance  as  a  necessary 
I.       and  standing  ordinance  of  Jesus  Christ, 
'communion     §  V.  First,  it  must  be  understood  that  I  speak  of  a  neces- 
and'woo'd'^  sary  and  peculiar  relation  otherwise  than  in  a  general  te- 
of  Christ     spect :  for  inasmuch  as  our  communion  with  Christ  is  and 
spedal  re-  ought  to  be  OUT  greatest  and  chiefest  work,  we  ought  to  Jo 
lation  to     gii  other  things  with  a  respect  to  God,  and  our  fellowship 

the  cere-  °  .       ^  '  ' 

mony  of  with  him  ;  but  a  special  and  necessary  respect  or  relation 
^read'"nei-  ^uch  as  where  the  two  things  are  so  tied  and  united 
ther  by  na  totjether,  either  of  their  own  nature,  or  by  the  command 

tur6  nor  o         ^  '  ^ 

precept.      of  God,  that  the  one  cannot  be  enjoyed,  or  at  least  is  not, 


OP  THE  BODY  AND  BLOOD  OF  CHRIST. 


429 


except  very  extraordinarily,  wi'houl  the  otlier.  Thus  sal- 
vation hath  a  necessary  respect  to  holiness,  because  "  with- 
out holiness  no  man  shall  see  God  ;"  and  the  eating  of  the 
flesh  and  blood  of  Christ  hath  a  necessary  respect  to  our 
having  life,  because  if  we  eat  not  his  flesh,  and  drink  not 
his  blood,  we  cannot  have  life ;  and  our  feeling  of  God's 
presence  hath  a  necessary  respect  to  our  being  found  meet- 
ing in  his  name  by  divine  precept,  because  he  has  promised 
where  two  or  three  are  met  together  in  his  name,  he  will 
be  in  the  midst  of  them.  In  like  manner  our  receiving 
benefits  and  blessings  from  God  has  a  necessary  respect  to 
our  prayer,  because  if  we  ask,  he  hath  promised  we  shall 
receive.  Now  the  communion  or  participation  of  the  flesh 
and  blood  of  Christ  hath  no  such  necessary  relation  to  the 
breaking  of  bread  and  drinking  of  wine :  for  if  it  had  any 
such  necessary  relation,  it  would  either  be  from  the  nature 
of  the  thing,  or  from  some  divine  precept ;  but  we  shall 
show  it  is  from  neither ;  therefore,  &c. 

First,  It  is  not  from  the  nature  of  it;  because  to  partake 
of  the  flesh  and  blood  of  Christ  is  a  spiritual  exercise,  and 
all  confess  that  it  is  by  the  soul  and  spirit  that  we  become 
real  partakers  of  it,  as  it  is  the  soul,  and  not  the  body,  that 
is  nourished  by  it.  But  to  cat  bread  and  drink  wine  is  a 
natural  act,  which  in  itself  adds  nothing  to  the  soul,  neither 
has  any  thing  that  is  spiritual  in  it  ;  because  the  most  carnal 
man  that  is  can  as  fully,  as  perfectly,  and  as  wholly  eat 
bread  and  drink  wine  as  the  most  spiritual.  Secondly, 
Their  relation  is  not  by  nature,  else  they  would  infer  one 
another ;  but  all  acknowledge  that  many  eat  of  the  bread 
and  .drink  of  the  wine,  even  that  which  they  say  is  con- 
secrate and  transubstantiate  into  the  very  body  of  Christ, 
who  notwithstanding  have  not  life  eternal,  have  not  Christ  The  patn 
dwelling  in  them,  nor  do  live  by  him,  as  all  do  who  truly  prophetst 
partake  of  the  flesh  and  blood  of  Christ  without  the  use  without 

'  .  .    this  cere- 

of  this  ceremony,  as  all  the  patriarchs  and  prophets  did  mony'suse, 

ficfore  this  ordinance,  as  they  account  it,  was  instituted,  panakersof 

Neither  was  there  any  thing  under  the  law  that  had  any  9''V®''^j 
,    ■       ,  ,     flesh  and 

direct  or  necessary  relation  hereunto  ;  though  to  partake  blood. 

36  •  3d 


426 


PROPOSITION  xin. 


of  the  flesh  and  blood  of  Christ  in  all  ages  was  Indispen 
Th(  jios-    sahly  necessary  to  salvation.    For  as  for  'he  paschal  lainb, 
iiBeiid.      the  whole  end  of  it  is  signified  particularly,  Exod.  xiii.  8, 
9,  to  wit,  That  the  Jews  might  thereby  be  kept  in  remem- 
brance of  their  deliverance  out  of  Egypt. 

Secondly,  It  hath  not  relation  by  divine  precept ;  for  if 
it  had,  it  would  be  mentioned  in  that  which  our  adver- 
saries account  the  institution  of  it,  or  else  in  the  practice 
of  it  by  the  saints  recorded  in  scripture ;  but  so  it  is  not. 
For  as  to  the  institution,  or  rather  narration,  of  Christ's 
practice  in  this  matter,  we  have  it  recorded  by  the  evan- 
gelists Matthew,  Mark,  and  Luke.    In  the  first  two  there 
Mat.  xxvi.  is  only  an  account  of  the  matter  of  fact,  to  wit.  That 
Mark  xiv.   Christ  brake  bread,  and  gave  it  his  disciples  to  eat,  say- 
if  k     ii  "  '^^'^     ™^  body  ;"  and  blessing  the  cup,  he  gave  it 

19.  them  to  drink,  saying,  "This  is  my  blood  ;"  but  nothing  of 

The  insii-  any  desire  to  them  to  do  it.  In  the  last,  after  the  bread 
thesupper,  (but  before  the  blessing,  or  giving  them  the  wine),  he  bids 
or  narration  j^em  do  it  in  remembrance  of  him.     What  we  are  to 

of  Christ  8       .  .  ■        r  • 

practice      think  of  this  practice  of  Christ  shall  be  spoken  of  hereafter. 

therein.  ^^^^  what  necessary  relation  hath  all  this  to  the  believers 
partaking  of  the  flesh  and  blood  of  Christ .''  The  end  of  this 
for  which  they  were  to  do  it,  if  at  all,  is  to  remember 
Christ ;  which  the  apostle  yet  more  particularly  expresses, 
1  Cor.  xi.  26,  "  to  show  forth  the  Lord's  death  ;"  but  to 
remember  the  Lord,  or  declare  his  death,  which  are  the 
special  and  particular  ends  annexed  to  the  use  of  this  cere- 
inon}-,  is  not  at  all  to  partake  of  the  flesh  and  blood  of 
Christ ;  neither  have  they  any  more  necessary  relation  to  it 
than  any  other  two  different  spiritual  duties.  For  though 
they  that  partake  of  the  flesh  and  blood  of  Christ  cannot 
but  remember  him,  yet  the  Lord  and  his  death  may  be  re- 
membered, as  none  can  deny,  where  his  flesh  and  blood  is 
not  truly  partaken  of.  So  that  since  the  very  particular 
and  express  end  of  this  ceremony  may  be  witnessed,  to 
wit,  the  remembrance  of  the  Lord's  death,  and  yet  the 
flesh  and  blood  of  Christ  not  partaken  of,  it  cannot  have 
had  any  necessary  relation  to  it,  else  the  partak'.ng  thereof 


OF  THE  BODY  AND  BLOOD  OF  CHRI&T, 


421 


would  Kave  been  the  end  of  it,  and  could  not  have  been 
attained  without  this  participation.  But  on  the  contrary, 
we  may  well  infer  hence,  that  since  the  positive  end  of  this 
ceremony  is  not  the  partaking  of  the  flesh  and  blood  of 
Christ,  and  that  whoever  partakes  of  the  flesh  and  blood 
of  Christ  cannot  but  remember  him,  that  therefore  such 
need  not  this  ceremony  to  put  them  in  remembrance  of 
him. 

But  if  it  be  said,  That  Jesus  Christ  calls  the  bread  here  Object. 
his  body,  and  the  wine  his  blood,  therefore  he  seems  to 
have  had  a  special  relation  to  his  disciples  partaking  of  his 
flesh  and  blood  in  the  use  of  this  thing ; 

I  answer.  His  calling  the  bread  his  body,  and  the  wme  Answ. 

his  blood,  would  yet  infer  no  such  thing ;  though  it  is  not 

denied  but  that  Jesus  Christ,  in  all  things  he  did,  yea,  and 

from  the  use  of  all  natural  things,  took  occasion  to  raise 

the  minds  of  his  disciples  and  hearers  to  spirituals.  Hence 

from  the  woman  of  Samaria  her  drawing  water,  he  took  The  wo- 

occasion  to  tell  her  of  that  living  water,  which  "  whoso  JJJg","'^^"' 

drinketh  of  shall  never  thirst ;"  which  indeed  is  all  one  Jo^""  iv- 14 

with  his  blood  here  spoken  of ;  yet  it  will  not  follow  that 

that  well  or  water  had  any  necessary  relation  to  the  living  -phe  well, 

water,  or  the  living;  water  to  it,  &c.   So  Christ  takes  occa-  'll®  loaves, 
'  °  .     '   .  the  bread 

sion,  from  the  Jews  following  him  for  the  loaves,  to  tell  and  wine, 
them  of  this  spiritual  bread  and  flesh  of  his  body,  which  takes  occa 
was  more  necessary  for  them  to  feed  upon  ;  it  will  not  tg^gj,^^""^}., 
therefore  follow  that  their  following  him  for  the  loaves  had  inward 
any  necessary  relation  thereunto.    So  also  Christ  here, 
being  at  supper  with  his  disciples,  takes  occasion,  from  the 
bread  and  wine  which  was  before  them,  to  signify  unto 
them,  That  as  that  bread  which  he  brake  unto  them,  and 
that  wine  which  he  blessed  and  gave  unto  them,  did  con- 
tribute to  the  preserving  and  nourishing  of  their  bodies,  so 
was  he  also  to  give  his  body  and  shed  his  blood  for  the 
salvation  of  their  souls.    And  therefore  the  very  end  pro- 
posed in  this  ceremony  to  those  that  observe  it  is,  to  be  a 
memorial  of  his  death. 
But  if  it  be  said,  That  the  apostle,  1  Cor.  x.  16,  calif 


488 


PROPOSITION  XIII. 


the  bread  which  he  brake  the  communion  of  the  jody  ol 
Christ,  and  the  cup  the  communion  of  his  blood  ; 

I  do  most  willingly  subscribe  unto  it ;  but  do  deny  that 
this  is  understood  of  the  outward  bread,  neither  can  it  be 
evinced,  but  the  contrary  is  manifest  from  the  context: 
for  the  apostle  in  this  chapter  speaks  not  one  word  of  that 
ceremony;  for  having  in  the  beginning  of  it  shown  tliem 
Aow  the  Jews  of  old  were  made  partakf^rs  of  the  spiritua. 
food  and  water,  which  was  Christ,  and  how  several  of 
them,  through  disobedience  and  idolatry,  fell  from  that 
good  condition,  he  exhorts  them,  by  the  example  of  those 
Jews  whom  God  destroyed  of  old,  to  flee  those  evils; 
showing  them  that  they,  to  wit,  the  Corinthians,  are  like- 
wise partakers  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ;  of  which 
communion  they  would  rob  themselves  if  they  did  evil, 
because  "they  could  not  drink  of  the  cup  of  the  Lord  and 
the  cup  of  devils,  and  partake  of  the  Lord's  table  and  the 
table  of  devils,"  ver.  21,  which  shows  that  he  understands 
not  here  the  using  of  outward  bread  and  wine  ;  because 
those  that  do  drink  the  cup  of  devils,  and  eat  of  the  table 
The  wick-  of  devils,  yea,  the  wickedest  of  men,  may  partake  of  the 
take'the**'   outward  bread  and  outward  wine.    For  there  the  apostle 
outward^    calls  the  bread  one,  ver.  17,  and  he  saith,  "We  being 
wire.        'nany,  are  one  bread,  and  one  body ;  for  we  are  all  par- 
takers of  that  one  bread."    Now  if  the  bread  be  one,  it 
cannot  be  the  outward,  or  the  mward  would  be  excluded ; 
whereas  it  cannot  be  denied  but  that  it  is  the  partaking  of 
the  inward  bread,  and  not  the  outward,  that,  makes  the 
saints  truly  one  body  and  one  bread.    And  whereas  they 
The  sacra-  Say,  that  the  one  bread  here  comprehendeth  both  the  out- 
unTorfpre-   '^^''•''d  and  inward,  by  virtue  of  the  sacramental  union  ;  that 
tended,  a    indeed  is  to  affirm,  but  not  to  prove.    As  for  that  figment 
figment.         ^  sacramental  union,  I  find  not  such  a  thing  in  all  the 
scripture,  especially  in  the  New  Testament;  nor  is  ther 
any  thing  can  give  a  rise  for  such  a  thing  m  this  chapter, 
where  the  apostle,  as  is  above  observed,  is  not  at  all  treat- 
ing of  that  ceremony,  but  only,  from  the  exo'^Uency  of  that 
frivilege  which  the  Corinthians  had,  as  belie'V'ng  Chri» 


OF  THE  BODY   AND  BLOOD  OB  CHRIST. 


42» 


dans,  to  partake  of  the  flesh  and  blood  of  Christ,  dehorts 
them  from  idolatry,  and  partaking  of  the  sacrifices  offered 
to  idols,  so  as  thereby  to  offend  or  hurt  their  weak  brethren. 

But  that  which  they  most  of  all  cry  out  for  in  this  mat-  Obiict. 
ter,  and  are  always  urging,  is  from  1  Cor.  xi.,  where  the 
apostle  is  particularly  treating  of  this  matter,  and  therefore, 
from  some  words  here,  they  have  the  greatest  appearance 
of  truth  for  their  assertion,  as  ver.  27,  where  he  calls  the 
cup  the  "  cup  of  the  Lord  ;"  and  saith,  "  That  they  who 
eat  of  it  and  drink  it  unworthily,  are  guilty  of  the  body  and 
blood  of  the  Lord  ;"  and  ver.  29,  Eat  and  drink  their 
own  damnation;  intimating  hence,  that  this  hath  an  im- 
mediate or  necessary  relation  to  the  body,  flesh,  and  blood 
of  Christ. 

Though  this  at  first  view  may  catch  the  unwary  reader,  \ms« 
yet  being  well  considered,  it  doth  no  ways  evince  the  mat- 
ter m  controversy.  As  for  the  Corinthians  being  in  the 
use  of  this  ceremony,  why  they  were  so,  and  how  that 
obliges  not  Christians  now  to  the  same,  shall  be  spoken  of 
hereafter :  it  suffices  at  this  time  to  consider  that  they  were 
in  the  use  of  it.  Secondly,  That  in  the  use  of  it  they  were 
guilty  of  and  committed  divers  abuses.  Thirdly,  That  the 
apostle  here  is  giving  them  directions  how  they  may  do  it 
aright,  in  showing  them  the  right  and  proper  use  and  end 
of  it. 

These  things  being  premised,  let  it  be  observed,  that  the 
rery  express  and  particular  use  of  it,  according  to  the 
apostle,  is  "to  show  forth  the  Lord's  death,"  &c.  But 
to  show  forth  the  Lord's  death,  and  partake  of  the  fle.sli 
and  blood  of  CmIsI,  are  dilferent  things.  He  saitii  nol, 
As  often  as  ye  eat  this  bread,  and  drink  this  cup,  ye  par- 
take of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ ;  but,  "  ye  show  forth 
the  Lord's  death."  Sc  I  acknowledge  that  this  ceremony, 
by  those  that  practise  it,  hath  an  immediate  relation  to  the 
outward  body  and  death  of  Christ  upon  the  cross,  as  being 
properly  a  memorial  of  it ;  but  it  doth  not  thence  follow 
that  it  hath  any  inward  or  immediate  relation  to  believers 
communicating  oi  partaking  of  the  spiritual  body  and  blood 


PROPOSITION  XIII. 


of  Christ,  or  that  spiritual  supper  spoken  of  Rev.  iii,  20 
For  though,  in  a  general  way,  as  every  religious  action  in 
some  respect  hath  a  common  relation  to  the  spiritual  cora« 
munion  of  the  saints  with  God,  so  we  shall  not  deny  but 
this  hath  a  relation  as  others.  Now  for  his  calling  the  cup 
"  the  cup  of  the  Lord,"  and  saying.  They  are  guilty  of 
the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  and  eat  their  own  damna- 
tion in  not  discerning  the  Lord's  body,  &c.,  I  answer, 
That  this  infers  no  more  necessary  relation  than  any  othei 
religious  act,  and  amounts  to  no  more  than  this,  That  since 
the  Corinthians  were  in  the  use  of  this  ceremony,  and  so 
performed  it  as  a  religious  act,  they  ought  to  do  it  worthily, 
or  else  they  should  bring  condemnation  upon  themselves. 
Now  this  will  not  more  infer  the  thing  so  practised  by  them 
to  be  a  necessary  religious  act  obligatory  upon  others,  than 
when  the  apostle  saith,  Rom.  xiv.  6,  "He  that  regardeth 
the  day,  regardeth  it  unto  the  Lord,"  it  can  be  thence  in- 
ferred that  the  days  that  some  esteemed  and  observed  did 
lay  an  obligation  upon  others  to  do  the  same.  But  yet,  as 
he  that  esteemed  a  day,  and  placed  conscience  in  keeping 
it,  was  to  regard  it  to  the  Lord,  and  so  it  was  to  him,  in 
so  far  as  he  dedicated  it  unto  the  Lord,  the  Lord's  day,  he 
was  to  do  it  worthily ;  and  if  he  did  it  unworthily,  he 
would  be  guilty  of  the  Lord's  day,  and  so  keep  it  to  his 
own  damnation  ;  so  also  such  as  observe  this  ceremony  of 
bread  and  wine,  it  is  to  them  the  bread  of  the  Lord,  and 
the  cup  of  the  Lord,  because  they  use  it  as  a  religious 
act ;  and  forasmuch  as  their  end  therein  is  to  show  forth 
the  Lord's  death,  and  remember  his  body  that  was  cruci- 
fied for  them,  and  his  blood  that  was  shed  for  them,  if, 
notwithstanding,  they  believe  it  is  their  duty  to  do  it,  and 
make  it  a  matter  of  conscience  to  forbear,  if  they  do  it 
without  that  due  preparation  and  examination  which  every 
religious  act  ought  to  be  performed  in,  then,  instead  of 
truly  remembering  the  Lord's  death,  and  his  body  and  his 
blood,  they  render  themselves  guilty  of  it,  as  being  in  one 
spirit  with  those  that  crucified  him,  and  shed  his  blood, 
though  pretending  with  thanksgiving  and  joy  to  reraembei 


OF  THE  BODY  AND  BLOOD  OF  CHRIST. 


it.  Thus  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  of  old,  though  in  me-  The  Phan- 
mory  of  the  prophets  they  garnished  their  sepuk'hres,  yet  orihe'bWJ 
are  said  by  Christ  to  be  guilly  of  their  blood.  And  that  oUhc  pro- 
no  more  can  be  hence  inferred,  appears  from  another  say- 
ing of  the  same  apostle,  Rom.  xiv.  23,  "  He  that  doubteth 
is  damned  if  he  eat,"  &c.,  where  he,  speaking  of  those 
that  judged  it  unlawful  to  eat  flesh,  &c.,  saith,  If  they 
eat  doubting,  they  eat  their  own  damnation.  Now  it  is 
manifest  from  all  thi«,  that  either  the  domg  or  forbearing 
of  this  was  to  another,  that  placed  no  conscience  in  it,  of 
no  moment.  So  I  say,  he  that  eateth  that  which  in  his 
conscience  he  is  persuaded  it  is  not  lawful  for  him  to  eat, 
doth  eat  his  own  damnation  ;  so  he  also  that  placeth  con- 
science in  eating  bread  and  wine  as  a  religious  act,  if  he 
do  it  unprepared,  and  without  that  due  respect  wherein 
such  acts  should  be  gone  about,  he  eateth  and  drinketh 
his  own  damnation,  not  discerning  the  Lord's  body,  i.  e., 
not  minding  what  he  doth,  to  wit,  with  a  special  respect 
to  the  Lord,  and  by  way  of  special  commemoration  of  the 
death  of  Christ. 

§  VL  Having  now  sufficiently  shown  what  the  true  com- 
munion of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  is,  how  it  is  par- 
taken of,  and  how  it  has  no  necessary  relation  to  that  cere- 
mony of  bread  and  wine  used  by  Christ  with  his  disciples  : 
it  is  fit  now  to  consider  the  nature  and  constitution  of  that  H- 
ceremony  (for  as  to  the  proper  use  of  it,  we  have  ha<l  t^is^cer" 
occasion  to  speak  before),  whether  it  be  a  standing:  ordi-  ^°^y  a 

,        ,      ^         .  .  necessary 

nance  in  the  church  of  Christ  obligatory  upon  all,  or  in-  part  of  tn« 
deed  whether  it  be  any  necessary  part  of  the  worship  of  nant,*^and 
the  new  covenant  dispensation,  or  hath  any  better  or  more  obligatory 
binding  foundation  than  several  other  ceremonies  appointed 
and  practised  about  the  same  time,  which  the  most  of  our 
opposers  acknowledge  to  be  ceased,  and  now  no  ways 
binding  upon  Christians.    We  find  this  ceremony  only 
mentioned  in  scripture  in  four  places,  to  wit,  Matthew, 
Mark,  and  Luke,  and  by  Paul  to  the  Corinthians.    If  any 
would  infer  any  thing  from  the  frequency  of  the  mention- 
ing of  it,  that  will  add  nothing :  for  it  being  a  matter  of 


432 


PROPOSITION  XIII. 


Malt.  txvi. 
26. 

Mark  xiv. 
22. 

Luke  xxii. 
19. 

1  Cor.  xi. 
83,  &c. 


The  break- 
ing of  bread 
was  no 
singular 
thing,  but  a 
custom 
among  the 
Jews. 
P.  Riccius. 


What  it  is 
to  do  this 
in  remem- 
brance of 
Christ. 


fact,  is  therefore  mentioned  by  the  evangehsts ;  and  there 
are  other  things  less  memorable  as  often,  yea,  oftener  men- 
tioned. Matthew  and  Mark  give  only  an  account  of  the 
matter  of  fact,  without  any  precept  to  do  so  afterwards : 
simply  declaring,  that  Jesus  at  that  time  did  desire  them  to 
eat  of  the  bread,  and  drink  of  the  cup  ;  to  which  Luke 
adds  these  words,  "  This  do  in  remembrance  of  me."  If 
we  consider  this  action  of  Christ  with  his  apostles,  there 
will  appear  nothing  singular  in  it  for  a  foundation  to  such 
a  strange  superstructure  as  many  in  their  airy  imaginations 
have  sought  to  build  upon  it:  for  both  Matthew  and  Mark 
express  it  as  an  act  done  by  him  as  he  was  eating.  Mat- 
thew saith,  "  And  as  they  were  eating ;"  and  Mark,  "And 
as  they  did  eat,  Jesus  took  bread,"  &c.  Now  this  act  was 
no  singular  thing,  neither  any  solemn  institution  of  a  gospel 
ordinance  ;  because  it  was  a  constant  custom  among  the 
Jews,  as  Paulus  Riccius  observes  at  length  in  his  Celestial 
Agriculture,  that  when  they  did  eat  the  passover,  the  mas- 
ter of  the  family  did  take  bread,  and  bless  it,  and  breaking 
it,  gave  of  it  to  the  rest ;  and  likewise  taking  wine,  did  the 
same  ;  so  that  there  can  nothing  further  appear  in  this,  than 
that  Jesus  Christ,  who  fulfilled  all  righteousness,  and  also 
observed  the  Jewish  feasts  and  customs,  used  this  also 
among  his  disciples  only,  that  as  in  most  other  things  he 
laboured  to  draw  their  minds  to  a  further  thing,  so  in  the 
use  of  this  he  takes  occasion  to  put  them  in  mind  of  his 
death  and  sufferings,  which  were  shortly  to  be;  which  he 
did  the  oftener  inculcate  unto  them,  for  that  they  were 
averse  from  believing  it.  And  as  for  that  expression  of 
Luke,  "  Do  this  in  remembrance  of  me,"  it  will  amount  to 
no  more  than  this,  that  being  the  last  time  that  Christ  did 
eat  with  his  disciples,  he  desired  them,  that  in  their  eating 
and  drinking  they  might  have  regard  to  him,  and  by  the 
remembering  of  that  opportunity,  be  the  more  stirred  up 
to  follow  him  diligently  through  sufferings  and  death,  fee. 
But  what  man  of  reason,  laying  aside  the  prejudice  of 
education,  and  the  influence  of  tradition,  will  say,  that  this« 
account  of  the  matter  of  fact  given  by  Matthew  and  Maik, 


OF  THE  BODY  AND  BLOOD  OF  CHRIST. 


433 


or  this  expression  of  Luke,  to  <'  do  that  in  remembrance 
of  him,"  will  amount  to  these  consequences,  which  the 
generality  of  Christians  have  sought  to  draw  from  it ; 
as  calling  it,  Augustissimum  EucharisticB  Sacramentum ; 
venerahile  altaris  Sacramentum ;  the  principal  seal  of  the 
covenant  of  grace,  by  which  all  the  benefits  of  Christ's 
death  are  sealed  to  believers;  and  such  like  things?  But 
t  give  a  further  evidence,  how  these  consequences  have 
not  any  bottom  from  the  practice  of  that  ceremony,  nor 
fiom  the  words  following,  '<  do  this,"  &c.,  let  us  consider 
another  of  the  like  nature,  as  it  is  at  length  expressed  by 
John,  chap.  xiii.  4,  5,  8,  12,  14,  15:  "Jesus  riseth  from  Chmt's 
supper,  and  laid  aside  his  garments,  and  took  a  towel,  and  feef'andfu 
girded  himself:  after  that,  he  pourelh  water  into  a  bason,  [^^"j®"'''®" 
and  began  to  wash  the  disciples'  feet ;  and  to  wipe  them 
with  the  towel  wherewith  he  was  girded  :  Peter  said  unto 
him.  Thou  shalt  never  wash  my  feet:  Jesus  answered  him, 
If  I  wash  thee  not,  thou  hast  no  part  with  me.  So  after 
he  had  washed  their  feet,  he  said.  Know  ye  what  I  have 
done  to  you  ?  If  I  then  your  Lord  and  Master  have 
washed  your  feet,  ye  also  ought  to  wash  one  another's 
feet :  for  I  have  given  you  an  example,  that  ye  should  do 
as  I  have  done  to  you."  As  to  which,  let  it  be  observed, 
that  John  relates  this  passage  to  have  been  done  at  the 
same  time  with  the  other  of  breaking  bread  ;  both  being  Compared 
done  the  night  of  the  passover,  after  supper.  If  we  re-  breaking  o» 
gard  the  narration  of  this,  and  the  circumstances  attend-  bread, 
ing  it,  it  was  done  with  far  more  solemnity,  and  prescribed 
far  more  punctually  and  particularly  than  the  former.  It 
is  sjid  only,  "  As  he  was  eating,  he  took  bread  ;"  so  that 
this  would  seem  to  be  but  an  occasional  business ;  but 
here  he  rose  up,  he  laid  by  his  garments,  he  girded  him- 
self, he  poured  out  the  water,  he  washed  their  feet,  he 
wiped  them  with  a  towel ;  he  did  this  to  all  of  them  ;  which 
are  circumstances  surely  far  more  observable  than  those 
noted  m  the  other.  The  former  was  a  practice  common 
among  the  Jews,  used  by  all  masters  of  families  upon  that 
occasion  ;  but  this,  as  to  the  manner,  and  person  acting  it, 
3*  3  E 


434 


PROPOSITION  XIII. 


to  wit,  for  the  master  to  rise  up,  and  wash  tine  feet  of  Lis 
servants  and  disciples,  was  more  singular  and  observable. 
In  the  breaking  of  bread,  and  giving  of  wine,  it  is  not 
pleaded  by  our  adversaries,  nor  yet  mentioned  in  the  text, 
that  he  particularly  put  them  into  the  hands  of  all ;  but 
breaking  it,  and  blessing  it,  gave  it  the  nearest,  and  so 
^  they  from  hand  to  hand;  but  here  it  is  mentioned,  thai  he 

washed  not  the  feet  of  one  or  two,  but  of  many.    He  saith 
not  in  the  former,  that  if  they  do  not  eat  of  that  bread,  and 
drink  of  that  wine,  they  shall  be  prejudiced  by  it ;  but 
here  he  saith  expressly  to  Peter,  that  if  he  wash  him  not, 
he  hath  no  part  with  him  ;  which  being  spoken  upon  Peter's 
refusing  to  let  him  wash  his  feet,  would  seem  to  import  no 
less,  than  not  the  continuance  only,  but  even  the  necessity 
of  this  ceremony.    In  the  former  he  saith,  as  it  were  pass- 
ingly. Do  this  in  remembrance  of  me  ;  but  here  he  sitteth 
down  again,  he  desires  them  to  consider  what  he  hath 
done,  tells  them  positively,  that  as  he  hath  done  to  them, 
so  ought  they  to  do  to  one  another ;  and  yet  again,  he  re- 
The  wash-  doubles  that  precept,  by  telling  them,  he  has  given  them 
wSer'sfeet  ^"  example,  that  they  should  do  so  likewise.    If  we  re- 
was  left  as  spect  the  nature  of  the  thing,  it  hath  as  much  in  it  as  either 
inexample.  |j^pjjg|j^  breaking  of  bread  ;  seeing  it  is  an  outward 

element  of  a  cleansing  nature,  applied  to  the  outward  man, 
by  the  command  and  the  example  of  Christ,  to  signify  an 
inward  purifying.  I  would  willingly  propose  this  seriously 
to  men,  who  will  be  pleased  to  make  use  of  that  reason 
and  understanding  that  God  hath  given  them,  and  not  be 
imposed  upon,  nor  abused  by  the  custom  or  tradition  of 
others ;  Whether  this  ceremony,  if  we  respect  either  the 
time  that  it  was  appointed  in,  or  the  circumstances  where- 
with it  was  performed,  or  the  command  enjoining  the  use 
of  it,  hath  not  as  much  to  recommend  it  for  a  standing 
ordinance  of  the  gospel,  as  either  water  baptism,  or  bread 
and  wine,  or  any  other  of  that  kind I  wonder  then  what 
reason  the  Papists  can  give,  why  they  have  not  numbered 
it  among  their  sacraments,  except  merely  Voluntas  Eccle- 
tue  and  Traditio  Patrum. 


OF  THE  BODY  AND  BLOOD  OF  CHRIST. 


435 


But  if  they  say,  That  it  is  used  among  them,  in  hat  the  Osjin-. 
Pope,  and  some  other  persons  among  them,  use  to  do  it 
once  a  year  to  some  poor  people  ; 

I  would  willingly  know  what  reason  they  have  why  this  Amsw. 

ihould  not  be  extended  to  all,  as  well  as  that  of  the  eucha- 

rist,  as  they  term  it,  or  whence  it  appears  from  the  texi, 

'hat  '  Do  this  in  remembrance  of  me,"  should  be  inter- 

,^)n!ted  that  the  bread  and  wine  were  every  day  to  be  taken 

by  all  priests,  or  the  bread  every  day,  or  every  week,  by 

the  people ;  and  that  that  other  command  of  Christ,  "  Ye 

Dught  to  do  as  I  have  done  to  you,"  &c.,  is  only  to  be 

understood  of  the  Pope,  or  some  other  persons,  to  be  done 

only  to  a  few,  and  that  once  a  year  ?    Surely  there  can  be 

no  other  reason  for  this  difference  assigned  from  the  text. 

And  as  to  Protestants,  who  use  not  this  ceremony  at  all.  The  Pro- 

if  they  will  but  open  their  eyes,  they  may  see  how  that  by  noMhe^"^ 

custom  and  tradition  they  are  abused  in  this  matter,  as  washing  of 

.  .  .  .  leet. 

were  their  fathers  in  divers  Popish  traditions.    For  if  we 

look  into  the  plain  scripture,  what  can  be  thence  inferred 
to  urge  the  one,  which  may  not  be  likewise  pleaded  for 
the  other ;  or  for  laying  aside  the  one,  which  may  not  be 
likewise  said  against  the  continuance  of  the  other  ?  If  they 
say.  That  the  former,  of  washing  the  feet,  was  only  a  cere- 
mony ;  what  have  they,  whence  they  can  show,  that  this 
breaking  of  bread  is  more?  If  they  say.  That  the  former 
was  only  a  sign  of  humility  and  purifying  ;  what  have  they 
to  prove  that  this  was  more  ?  If  they  say.  That  one  was 
only  for  a  time,  and  was  no  evangelical  ordinance  ;  what 
hath  this  to  make  it  such,  that  the  other  wanted  ?  Surely 
there  is  no  way  of  reason  to  evade  this ;  neither  can  any 
thing  be  alleged,  that  the  one  should  cease,  and  not  the 
other;  or  the  one  continue,  and  not  the  other,  but  the 
mere  opinion  of  the  affirmers ;  which  by  custom,  education 
and  tradition,  hath  begotten  in  the  hearts  of  people  a 
greater  reverence  for,  and  esteem  of  the  one  than  the  other  ; 
which  if  it  had  fallen  out  to  be  as  much  recommended  to 
us  by  tradition,  would  no  doubt  have  been  as  tenaciously 
pleaded  for,  as  ha  ing  no  less  foundation  in  scripture.  But 


436 


PROPOSITION  XIII. 


The  break- 
ing of  bread 
not  used 
now  in  llic 
same  man- 
Aer  as 
Christ  did. 


Object. 


Answ. 


Object. 


A  NSW. 

The  break- 
ing of  breao 
wa.a  a  Jew- 
ish cere- 
mony. 


since  the  former,  to  wit,  the  washing  of  one  another's  feet, 
is  justly  laid  aside,  as  not  binding  upon  Christians  :  so 
ought  also  the  other  for  the  same  reason. 

'5  VII.  But  it  is  strange  that  those  who  are  so  clamor- 
ous for  this  ceremony,  and  stick  so  much  to  it^  take  liberty 
to  dispense  with  the  manner  or  method  that  Chrisi  did  it 
in  ;  since  none  that  ever  I  could  hear  of,  except  some 
Baptists,  who  now  do  it,  use  it  in  the  same  way  that  he 
did  :  Christ  did  it  at  supper,  while  they  were  eating ;  but 
the  generality  of  Protestants  do  it  in  the  morning  only  by 
itself.    What  rule  walk  they  by  in  this  change  ? 

If  it  be  said.  These  are  but  circum.stances,  and  not  the 
matter ;  and  if  the  matter  be  kept  to,  the  alteration  of  cir- 
cumstances is  but  of  sn)all  moment ; 

What  if  it  should  be  said  the  whole  is  but  a  circum- 
stance, which  fell  out  at  that  time  when  Christ  eat  the  pass- 
over  For  if  we  have  regard  to  that  which  alone  can  be 
pleaded  for  an  institution,  viz.,  these  words,  Do  this  in  re- 
membrance of  me  ;"  it  doth  as  properly  relate  to  the  manner 
as  matter.  For  what  may  or  can  they  evince  in  rea.son,  that 
these  words,  "  Do  this,"  only  signify  eat  bread,  and  drink 
wine,  but  it  is  no  matter  when  ye  eat,  nor  how  ye  eat  it ; 
and  not  as  ye  have  seen  me  eat  it  at  supper  with  you,  who 
take  bread,  and  break  it,  and  give  it  you  ;  and  take  the 
cup,  and  bless  it,  and  give  it  you ;  so  do  ye  likewise 
And  seeing  Christ  makes  no  distinction  in  those  words,  "  Do 
this,"  it  cannot  be  judged  in  reason  but  to  relate  to  tlie 
whole  ;  which  if  it  do,  all  those  that  at  present  use  this 
ceremony  among  Christians,  have  not  yet  obeyed  this  pre- 
cept, nor  fulfilled  this  institution,  for  all  their  clamours  con- 
cerning it. 

If  it  be  said.  That  the  time  and  manner  of  doing  it  by 
Christ  was  but  accidentally,  as  being  after  the  Jewish  pass- 
over,  which  was  at  supper  ; 

Besides  that  it  may  be  answered,  and  easily  proved,  thav 
the  whole  was  accidental,  as  being  the  practice  of  a  Jew- 
ish cen  mony,  as  is  above  observed  ;  m?y  it  not  the  same 
way  be  irged,  that  tne  drinking  of  wme  w  is  accidental,  a> 


OF  THE  BODV   aNU  BLOOD  OF  CHRIST. 


being  lie  natural  product  of  that  country  ;  and  so  be 
pleaded,  that  in  those  countries  where  wine  doth  not  grow, 
as  in  our  nation  of  Scotland,  we  may  make  use  of  beer  or 
ale  in  the  use  of  this  ceremony  ;  or  bread  made  of  other 
grain  than  that  which  Christ  used  ?  And  yet  would  not 
our  adversaries  judge  this  an  abuse,  and  not  right  perform- 
ing of  this  sacrament  ?  Yea,  have  not  scruples  of  this 
kind  occasioned  no  little  contention  among  the  professors 
of  Christianity  ?  What  great  contest  and  strife  hath  been  Contests 
betwixt  the  Greek  and  Latin  churches  concerning  the  the^dr^eek 
bread  ?    While  the  one  will  have  it  unleavened,  reckon-  ^V''^  L^"" 

'  .  churches, 

ing,  because  the  Jews  made  use  of  unleavened  bread  in  concerning 

the  passover,  that  it  was  such  kind  of  bread  that  Christ  did  e/a'nd^u"-' 

break  to  his  disciples:  the  other  leavened:  therefore  the  , 

I  I-  1  /~i  bread  in  the 

Lutherans  make  use  of  unleavened  bread,  the  Calvinists  supper. 

of  leavened.  And  this  contest  was  so  hot,  when  the  refor- 
mation was  beginning  at  Geneva,  that  Calvin  and  Farellus  Fareilus. 
were  forced  to  fly  for  it.  But  do  not  Protestants,  by  these 
uncertainties,  open  a  door  to  Papists  for  their  excluding 
the  people  from  the  cup  Will  not  "  Do  this"  infer  posi- 
tively, that  they  should  do  it  in  the  same  manner,  and  at 
the  same  time,  as  Christ  did  it  ;  as  well  as  that  they  should 
use  the  cup,  and  not  the  bread  only Or  what  reason 
have  they  to  dispense  with  the  one,  more  than  the  Papists 
have  to  do  with  the  other  ?  Oh  !  what  strange  absurdities 
and  inconveniences  have  Christians  brought  upon  them- 
selves, by  superstitiously  adhering  to  this  ceremony !  Out 
of  which  difficulties  it  is  impossible  for  them  to  extricate 
themselves,  but  by  laying  it  aside,  as  they  have  done  others 
of  the  like  nature.  For  besides  what  is  above  mentioned.  The  clergy 
I  would  gladly  know  how  from  the  words  they  can  be  cer-  ifread%o 
tainly  resolved  that  these  words  "  Do  this"  must  be  under-  bless  and 

£1 VG  it  I  t  u9 

stood  to  the  clergy.  Take,  bless,  and  break  this  bread,  and  faiiy  must 
give  it  to  others  ;  but  to  the  laity  only,  Take  and  eat,  but  eat*no"t^ 
uo  not  bless,  &c.  bless  it. 

If  it  be  said,  That  the  clergy  were  only  present ;  Object 
Then  will  not  that  open  a  door  for  the  Popish  argument  Answ 
igainst  the  adniiiistration  of  the  cup  to  the  people'  Or 
.37* 


PROPOSITION  XIII. 


may  not  another  from  thence  as  easily  infer,  that  th€ 
clergy  only  ought  to  partake  of  this  ceremony ;  because 
they  were  the  apostles  only  then  present,  to  whom  it  was 
said,  Do  this?  But  if  this  [Do  this]  be  extended  to  all, 
how  comes  it  all  have  not  liberty  to  obey  it,  in  both  bless- 
ing, breaking,  and  distributing,  as  well  as  taking  and 
Ho.  con-  eating  ?  Besides  all  these,  even  the  Calvini&t  Protestants 
tTie  m\mier  Great  Britain  could  never  yet  accord  among  themsehes 
Biid'to"^"'  ^^^^^  manner  of  taking  it,  whether  sitting,  standing, 
whom  to  or  kneeling  ;  whether  it  should  be  given  to  the  sick,  and 
lire  It.  those  that  are  ready  to  die,  or  not  ?  Which  controversies, 
though  they  may  be  esteemed  of  small  moment,  yet  have 
greatly  contributed,  with  other  things,  to  be  the  occasion 
not  only  of  much  contention,  but  also  of  bloodshed  and 
devastation  ;  so  that  in  this  last  respect  the  Prelatic  Cal- 
vinists  have  termed  the  Presbyterians  schismatical  and  per- 
tinacious ;  and  they  them  again  superstitious,  idolatrous, 
and  papistical.  Who  then,  that  will  open  their  eyes,  but 
may  see  that  the  devil  hath  stirred  up  this  contention  and 
zeal,  to  busy  men  about  things  of  small  moment,  that 
greater  matters  may  be  neglected,  while  he  keeps  them  in 
such  ado  about  this  ceremony ;  though  they  lay  aside  others 
of  the  like  nature,  as  positively  commanded,  and  as  punc- 
tually practised  ;  and  from  the  observation  of  which  half 
so  many  difficulties  will  not  follow  ? 

§  VIII.  How  then  ?  Have  we  not  reason,  not  finding 
the  nature  of  this  practice  to  be  obligatory  upon  us,  more 
than  those  others  which  our  adversaries  have  laid  aside,  to 
avoid  this  confusion  ;  since  those  that  use  it  can  never 
agree,  neither  concerning  the  nature,  efficacy,  nor  manner 
of  doing  it  ?  And  this  proceeds,  because  they  take  it  not 
plainly,  as  it  lies  in  the  scripture  ;  but  have  so  much  inter- 
mixed their  own  inventions.  For  would  ihey  take  it  as  it 
lies,  it  would  import  no  more,  than  that  Jesus  Christ  at 
that  time  did  thereby  signify  unto  them,  that  his  body  and 
blood  was  to  be  offered  for  them ;  and  desired  them,  that 
whensoever  they  did  eat  or  drink,  they  might  do  it  in  re- 
membrance of  him  ;  or  with  a  regard  to  him,  vvhose  blooa 


OF  THE  BODY   AND   BLOOD  OF  CHRIST. 


439 


was  shed  for  them.  Now  (hat  the  primitive  church,  gather- 
ed immediately  after  his  ascension,  did  so  understand  it, 
doth  appear  from  their  use  and  practice,  if  we  admit  those  By  break- 
places  of  the  Acts  where  breaking  of  bread  is  spoken  of,  Jhey  had^all 
to  have  relation  hereto  ;  which  as  our  adversaries  do,  so  things  in 
we  shall  willingly  agree  to  :  as  first,  Actsii.  42,  "And  they  remember- 
continiied  steadfastly  in  the  apostles'  doctrine  and  fellow-  ^^^j^^ 
ship,  and  in  breaking  of  bread,"  &c.    This  cannot  be  un- 
derstood of  any  other  than  of  their  ordinary  eating  ;  for  as 
nothing  else  appears  from  the  text,  so  the  context  makes  it 
plain  ;  for  they  had  all  things  in  common  :  and  therefore  it 
is  said,  vers.  46,  "  And  they  continuing  daily  with  one 
accord  in  the  temple,  and  breaking  bread  from  house  to 
house,  did  eat  their  meat  with  gladness  and  singleness  of 
heart."    Those  who  will  not  wilfully  close  their  eyes,  may 
see  here,  that  the  breaking  being  joined  with  their  eating, 
shows,  that  nothing  else  is  here  expressed,  but  that  having 
all  things  in  common,  and  so  continuing  together,  they 
also  did  break  their  bread,  and  eat  their  meat  together:  in 
doing  whereof,  I  cannot  doubt  but  they  remembered  the 
Lord  ;  to  follow  whom  they  had,  with  so  much  zeal  and 
resignation,  betaken  themselves.    This  is  further  manifest 
from  Acts  vi.  2,  for  the  apostles,  having  the  care  and  dis- 
tribution of  that  money,  which  the  believers,  having  sold 
their  possessions,  gave  unto  them,  and  finding  themselves 
overcharged  with  that  burthen,  appointed  deacons  for  that  Deacons 
business,  that  they  might  give  themselves  continually  to  foT'eerviii 
prayer,  and  to  the  ministry  of  the  word  ;  not  leaving  that,  'ables. 
to  serve  tables.    This  cannot  be  meant  of  any  sacramental 
eating,  or  religious  act  of  worship  ;  seeing  our  adversaries 
make  the  distributing  of  that  the  proper  act  of  ministers, 
not  of  deacons:  and  yet  there  can  be  no  reason  alleged, 
that  that  breaking  of  bread,  which  they  are  said  to  have 
continued  in,  and  to  have  done  from  house  to  house,  was 
other  than  those  tables  which  the  apostles  served  ;  but  here 
gave  over,  as  finding  themselves  overcharged  with  it.  Now 
as  the  increase  of  the  disciples  did  incapacitate  the  apostles 
any  more  to  manage  this ;  so  it  would  seem  their  further 


440 


PROPOSITION  XIII. 


At  Tioas 
the  supper 
deferred  till 
midnight. 


I'hey  only 
did  eat  for 
refreshing 
the  body. 


By  some 
called  a 
love-feast. 


increase,  and  disjiersing  in  divers  places,  hindered  the  con- 
tinuance of  that  practice  of  ha\  ing  things  in  common  :  but 
notwithstanding,  so  far  at  least  to  remember  or  continue 
that  ancient  comtnunity  they  did  at  certain  times  come  to- 
gether, and  break  bread  together.  Hence  it  is  said,  Act.s 
XX.  7,  on  Paul's  coming  to  Troas,  that  "  upon  the  first  day 
of  the  week,  when  the  disciples  came  together  to  break 
bread,  Paul  preached  unto  them,  ready  to  depart  on  tht 
morrow,  and  continued  his  speech  until  midnight."  Here 
IS  no  mention  made  of  any  sacramental  eating;  but  only 
that  Paul  took  occasion  from  their  being  together  to  preach 
unto  them.  And  it  seems  it  was  a  supper  they  intended, 
not  a  morning  bit  of  bread,  and  sup  of  wine,  else  it  is  not 
very  probable  that  Paul  would  from  the  morning  have 
preached  until  midnight.  But  the  11th  ver.se  puts  the 
matter  out  of  dispute,  which  is  thus :  "  When  he  therefore 
was  come  up  again,  and  had  broken  bread,  and  oaten,  and 
talked  a  long  while,  even  till  break  of  day,  so  he  depart- 
ed." This  shows,  that  the  breaking  of  bread  was  deferred 
till  that  time ;  for  these  words  [and  wlien  he  had  broken 
bread,  and  eaten]  do  show,  that  it  had  a  relation  to  the 
breaking  of  bread  before  mentioned,  and  that  that  was  the 
time  he  did  it.  Secondly,  These  words  joined  together 
[and  when  he  had  broken  bread,  and  eaten,  and  talked] 
show,  it  was  no  religious  act  of  worship,  but  only  an  eating 
for  bodily  refreshment,  for  which  the  Christians  used  to 
meet  together  some  time ;  and  doing  it  in  God's  fear,  and 
singleness  of  heart,  doth  notwithstanding  difference  it  from 
the  eating  or  feasting  of  profane  persons.  And  this  by  some 
is  called  a  love-feast,  or  a  being  together,  not  merely  to 
feed  their  bellies,  or  for  outward  ends ;  but  to  take  thence 
occasion  to  eat  and  drink  together,  in  the  dread  and  pre- 
sence of  the  Lord,  as  his  people ;  which  custom  we  shall 
not  condemn.  But  let  it  be  observed,  that  in  all  the  Acts 
there  is  no  other  nor  further  mention  of  this  matter.  Bui 
if  that-  ceremony  had  been  some  solemn  sacrifice,  as  some 
will  have  it,  or  such  a  special  sacrament  as  others  plead  it 
to  be  ;  it  is  strange  that  that  history,  which  in  many  lesif 


OS  THE  BODY  AND  BLOOD  OF  CHRIST. 


441 


Ihmgs  gives  a  particular  account  of  the  Christiaii.'s'  Lielia- 

viour,  ^llOuld  have  been  so  silent  in  the  matter :  only  we 

find,  that  they  used  sometimes  to  meet  together  to  break 

bread,  and  eat.    Now  as  the  early  Christians  began  by  de-  TheChns- 

grees  to  depart  from  that  primitive  purity  and  simplicity,  [,y"jgg^|" 

so  did  they  also  to  accumulate  superstitious  traditions,  and  to  depart 

vitiate  the  innocent  practices  of  their  predecessors,  by  the  pr^miffve 

intermixing  either  of  Jewish  or  heathenish  rites ;  and  like-  Pu^'y- 

wise  in  the  use  of  this,  abuses  began  very  early  to  creep  in 

among  Christians,  so  that  it  was  needful  for  the  apostle 

Paul  to  reform  them,  and  reprove  them  for  it,  as  he  doth 

at  large,  1  Cor.  xi.,  from  vers.  17,  to  the  end  :  which  place  i  Cor.  xi. 

we  shall  particularly  examine,  because  our  adversaries  lay  Concerning 

the  chief  stress  of  their  matter  upon  it :  and  we  shall  see  'he  supper 
1    .1      •       11  •  r  11  1  ,  o)  the  Lord 

whether  it  will  inter -any  more  than  we  have  above  granted,  (so  called) 

First,  Because  they  were  apt  to  use  that  practice  in  a  super- 
stitious  mind  beyond  the  true  use  of  it,  so  as  to  make  of  it 
some  mystical  supper  of  the  Lord,  he  tells  them,  vers.  20, 
That  their  "  coming  together  into  one  place,  is  not  to  eat 
the  Lord's  supper ;"  he  saith  not,  This  is  not  the  right 
manner  to  eat ;  but,  "  This  is  not  to  eat  the  Lord's  sup- 
per;"  because  the  supper  of  the  Lord  is  spiritual,  and  a 
mystery.    Secondly,  He  blames  them,  in  that  they  came 
together  for  the  worse,  and  not  for  the  better  ;  the  reason 
he  gives  of  this  is,  vers.  21,  "  For  in  eating  every  one  hath 
taken  before  his  own  supper ;  and  one  is  hungry,  and  an- 
other is  drunken."    Here  it  is  plain  that  the  apostle  con- 
demns them  in  that,  because  this  custom  of  supping  in  Why  the 
general  was  used  among  Christians  to  increase  their  love,  gupp^JJ^"^ 
and  as  a  memorial  of  Christ's  supping  with  the  disciples,  common^ 
they  had  so  vitiated  it,  as  to  eat  it  apart,  and  to  come  full,  among 
who  had  abundance  ;  and  hungry,  who  had  little  at  home ;  Christian* 
whereby  the  very  use  and  end  of  this  practice  was  lost  and 
perverted  :  and  therefore  he  blames  them,  that  they  did  not 
either  eat  this  in  common  at  home  ;  or  reserve  their  eating 
till  they  came  all  together  to  the  public  assembly.  This 
appears  plainly  by  the  following  vers.  22:  "Have  ye  not 
houses  to  eat  and  drink  in.'    Or  despise  ye  the  church  of 

3f 


443 


PROPOSITION  XIII. 


I  he  rise 
of  that 
custom. 


That  las 
often]  im 
ports  no 
command 
of  this 
supper. 

Object. 


God,  and  shame  them  that  have  not Where  he  blames 
them  for  their  irregular  practice  herein,  in  that  they  despised 
to  eat  orderly,  or  reserve  their  eating  to  the  public  assem- 
bly ;  and  so  shaming  such  as  not  having  houses,  nor  fulness 
at  home,  came  to  partake  of  the  common  table  ;  who,  be- 
ing hungry,  thereby  were  ashamed,  when  they  observed 
others  come  thither  full  and  drunken.  Those  that  without 
prejudice  will  look  to  the  place,  will  see  this  must  have 
been  the  case  among  the  Corinthians :  for  supposing  the 
use  of  this  to  have  been  then,  as  now  used  either  by  Pa- 
pists, Lutherans,  or  Calvinists,  it  is  hard  making  sense  of 
the  apostle's  words,  or  indeed  to  conceive  what  was  the 
abuse  the  Corinthians  committed  in  this  thing.  Having 
thus  observed  what  the  apostle  said  above,  because  this 
custom  of  eating  and  drinking  together  some  time,  had  its 
rise  from  Christ's  act  with  the  apostles,  the  night  he  was 
betrayed  ;  therefore  the  apostle  proceeds,  vers.  23,  to  give 
them  an  account  of  thi.t :  "  For  I  have  received  of  the  Lord 
that  which  also  I  delivered  unto  you,  that  the  Lord  Jesus, 
the  same  night  in  which  he  was  betrayed,  took  bread,"  &c. 
Those  that  understand  the  difference  betwixt  a  narration 
of  a  thing,  and  a  command,  cannot  but  see,  if  they  will, 
that  there  is  no  command  in  this  place,  but  only  an  account 
of  matter  of  fact ;  he  saith  not,  I  received  of  the  Lord,  that 
as  he  took  bread,  so  I  should  command  it  to  you  to  do  so 
likewise  ;  there  is  nothing  like  this  in  the  place :  yea,  on 
the  contrary,  vers.  25,  where  he  repeats  Christ's  imperative 
words  to  his  apostles,  he  placeth  them  so  as  they  import  no 
command ;  "  This  do  ye,  as  oft  as  ye  drink  it,  in  remem- 
brance of  me  :"  and  then  he  adds,  "  For  as  often  as  ye  eat 
this  bread,  and  drink  this  cup,  ye  do  show  the  Lord's  death 
till  he  come  :"  but  these  words  "as  often"  import  no  more 
a  command,  than  to  say,  As  often  as  thou  goest  to  Rome, 
see  the  Capitol,  will  infer  a  command  to  me  to  go  thither. 

But  whereas  they  urge  the  last  words,  "Ye  show  forlh 
the  Lord's  death  till  he  come  ;"  insinuating.  That  this  im- 
ports a  necessary  continuance  of  that  ceremony,  until  Chris' 
come  at  the  end  of  the  world  to  judgment ; 


OF  THE  BODY  AND  BLOOD  OF  CHRIS! 


442 


I  aiiswer ;  They  take  two  of  the  chief  parts  of  the  con-  Answ. 
troversy  here  for  granted,  without  proof.    First,  that  <«  as 
often"  imports  a  command  ;  the  contrary  whereof  is  shown  ; 
neither  will  they  ever  be  able  to  prove  it.    Secondly,  That  Christ's 
this  coramg  is  to  be  understood  ot  Uhrist's  last  outward  and  inward 
eomiDg,  and  not  of  his  inward  and  spiritual,  that  remains  coming, 
t-  be  proved  :  whereas  the  apostle  might  well  understand 
it  of  his  inward  coming  and  appearance,  which  perhaps 
some  of  those  carnal  Corinthians,  that  used  to  come  drunken 
together,  had  not  yet  known ;  and  others,  being  weak 
among  them,  and  inclinable  to  dote  upon  outwards,  this 
might  have  been  indulged  to  them  for  a  season,  and  even 
used  by  those  who  knew  Christ's  appearance  in  Spirit  (as 
other  things  were,  of  which  we  shall  speak  hereafter), 
especially  by  the  apostle,  who  became  weak  to  the  weak, 
and  all  to  all,  that  he  might  save  some.    Now  those  weak  To  remem- 
and  carnal  Corinthians  might  be  permitted  the  use  of  this,  death  tnfh' 
to  show  forth,  or  remember  Christ's  death,  till  he  came  to  come  to 

'  '  .        arise  in  lue 

arise  in  them  ;  for  though  such  need  those  outward  things  heart, 
to  put  them  in  mind  of  Christ's  death,  yet  those  who  are 
dead  with  Christ,  and  not  only  dead  with  Christ,  but 
buried,  and  also  arisen  with  him,  need  not  such  signs  to 
remember  him :  and  to  such  therefore  the  apostle  saith, 
Col.  iii.  1,  "If  ye  then  be  risen  with  Christ,  seek  those 
things  which  are  above,  where  Christ  sitteth  on  the  right 
hand  of  God:"  but  bread  and  wine  are  not  those  things 
(hat  are  above,  but  are  things  of  the  earth.  But  that  this 
whole  matter  was  a  mere  act  of  indulgence  and  condescen- 
sion of  the  apostle  Paul  to  the  weak  and  carnal  Corinthians, 
appears  yet  more  by  the  Syriac*  copy,  which,  vers.  17,  in 
his  entering  upon  this  matter,  hath  it  thus  ;  "  In  that  con- 
cerning which  I  am  about  to  command  you  (or  instruct 
you)  I  commend  you  not,  because  ye  have  not  gone  for- 
ward, but  are  descended  unto  that  which  is  less,  or  of  less 
consequence :"  clearly  importing  that  the  apostle  was 
grieved  that  such  was  their  condition,  that  he  was  forced 


•  And  likewise  the  other  Oriental  versions,  as  the  Arabic  and  .^thio- 
pic,  have  it  the  same  way. 


444 


PROPOSITION  XIII. 


to  give  them  instructions  concerning  those  outward  thmgs 
and  doting  upon  which,  they  showed  they  were  not  gont 
forward  in  the  life  of  Christianity,  but  rather  sticking  in 
beggarly  elements.  And  therefore,  vers.  20,  the  same  ver- 
sion hath  it  thus,  "  When  then  ye  meet  together,  ye  do 
not  do  it,  as  it  is  just  ye  should  do  in  the  day  of  the  Lord, 
ye  eat  and  drink  it:"  therefore  showing  to  them,  that  to 
meet  together  to  eat  and  drink  outward  bread  and  wine, 
was  not  the  labour  and  work  of  that  day  of  the  Lord.  But 
since  our  adversaries  are  so  zealous  for  this  ceremony,  be- 
cause used  by  the  church  of  Corinth,  though  with  how 
little  ground  is  already  shown,  how  come  they  to  pass  over 
far  more  positive  commands  of  the  apostles,  as  matters  of 
no  moment     As  first,  Acts  xv.  29,  where  the  apostles 
peremptorily  command  the  Gentiles,  as  that  which  was  the 
To  abstain  mind  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  "  To  abstain  from  things  strangled, 
«rangled^^  and  from  blood:"  and  James  v.  14,  where  it  is  expressly 
The  anoint-  commanded.  That  the  sick  be  anointed  with  oil  in  the 
oif.   '       name  of  the  Lord. 

Object.  If  they  say.  These  were  only  temporary  things,  but  not 
to  continue ; 

Answ.  What  have  they  more  to  show  for  this ;  there  being  no 

express  repeal  of  them  ? 

Object.  If  they  say.  The  repeal  is  implied,  because  the  apostle 
saith.  We  ought  not  to  be  judged  in  meats  and  drinks; 

Aksw.  I  admit  the  answer ;  but  how  can  it  be  prevented  from 

militating  the  same  way  against  the  other  practice  Surely 
not  at  all :  nor  can  there  be  any  thing  urged  for  the  one 
more  than  for  the  other,  but  custom  and  tradition. 

OBJscn  As  for  that  of  James,  they  say,  There  followed  a  miracle 
upon  it,  to  wit,  the  recovery  of  the  sick ;  but  this  being 
ceased,  so  should  the  ceremony. 

Ahsw.  Though  this  might  many  ways  be  answered,  to  wit, 

That  prayer  then  might  as  well  be  forborne,  to  which  also 
the  saving  of  the  sick  is  there  ascribed  ;  yet  I  shall  accept 

r^*ought°o  of  it,  because  I  judge  indeed  that  ceremony  is  ceased  . 

cease,  its  (,p]y  niethinks,  since  our  adversaries,  and  that  rightly, 
virtue  tail-  '  •  i       •         r  - 

ing.  th\nk  a  ceremony  ought  to  cease  where  the  virtue  fans, 


OF  THE  BODY  AND  BI OOD  OF  CHRIST. 


they  ought  by  the  same  rule  to  forbear  the  laying  on  of  Thus  lajr 
hands,  in  imitation  of  the  apostles,  since  the  gift  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  doth  not  follow  upon  it. 

§  TX.  But  since  we  find  that  several  testimonies  of  scrip- 
ture do  sufficiently  show,  that  such  external  rites  are  no 
necessary  part  of  the  new  covenant  dispensation,  therefore 
not  needful  now  to  continue,  however  they  were  for  a  sea- 
son practised  of  old,  I  shall  instance  some  few  of  them, 
whereby  from  the  nature  of  the  thing,  as  well  as  those  tes- 
timonies, it  may  appear,  that  the  ceremony  of  bread  and  'rhe<ere- 
wine  is  ceased,  as  well  as  those  other  things  confessed  by  U^g^d  and 

our  adversaries  to  be  so.   The  first  is  Rom.  xiv.  17,  "For  wmew 

'  ceased, 

the  k'ngdom  of  God  is  not  meat  and  drink,  but  righteous- 
ness and  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost:"  here  the 
apostle  evidently  shows,  that  the  kingdom  of  God,  or  gos- 
pe'  of  Christ,  stands  not  in  meats  and  drinks,  and  such 
like  things,  but  in  righteousness,  &c.,  as  by  the  context 
doth  appear,  where  he  is  speaking  of  the  guilt  and  hazard 
of  judging  one  another  about  meats  and  drinks.  So  then, 
if  the  kingdom  of  God  stand  not  in  them,  nor  the  gospel, 
nor  work  of  Christ,  then  the  eating  of  outward  bread  and 
wine  can  be  no  necessary  part  of  the  gospel  worship,  nor 
any  perpetual  ordinance  of  it.  Another  of  the  same 
apostle  is  yet  more  plain,  Col.  ii.  16,  the  apostle  through- 
out this  whole  second  chapter  doth  clearly  plead  for  u&, 
and  against  the  formality  and  superstition  of  our  opposers: 
for  in  the  beginning  he  holds  forth  the  great  privileges 
which  Christians  have  by  Christ,  who  are  indeed  come  to 
the  life  of  Christianity ;  and  therefore  he  desires  them,  vers. 
6,  As  they  have  received  Christ,  so  to  walk  in  him  ;  and 
.to  beware,  lest  they  be  spoiled  through  philosophy  and 
vain  deceit,  after  the  rudiments  or  elements  of  the  world; 
because  that  in  Christ,  whom  they  have  received,  !s  all 
fulness :  and  that  they  are  circumcised  with  the  circumci- 
sion made  without  hands  (vvhich  he  calls  the  circumcision 
of  Christ),  and  being  buried  with  him  by  baptism,  are  also 
arisen  with  him  through  the  faith  of  the  operation  of  God. 
Here  also  they  did  partake  of  the  true  baptism  of  Christ ; 
38 


116 


PROPOSITION  xin. 


r  18  but  a 
aign  and 
shadow 
ihey  coo 
fess. 


And  which 
do  perish 
witli  the 
using. 


rhe  law 

was  meats 
and  drinks 
not  so  the 
gospel. 


Object 


Knew. 


and  being  such  as  are  arisen  with  him,  let  us  see  uhethev 
he  thinks  it  needful  they  should  make  use  of  such  meal 
and  drink  as  bread  and  wine,  to  put  them  in  remembrance 
of  Christ's  death  ;  or  whether  they  ought  to  be  judged, 
that  they  did  it  not ;  ver.  16,  "  Let  no  man  therefore 
judge  you  in  meat  or  in  drink:"  Is  not  bread  and  wine 
meat  and  drink?  But  why?  "Which  are  a  shadow  of 
things  to  come:  but  the  body  is  of  Christ."  Then  ^iiice 
our  adversaries  confess,  that  their  bread  and  wine  is  a  sign 
or  shadow  ;  therefore,  according  to  the  apostle's  doctrine, 
we  ought  not  to  be  judged  in  the  non-observation  of  it. 
But  is  it  not  fit  for  those  that  are  dead  with  Christ  to  be 
subject  to  such  ordinances?  See  what  he  saith,  vers.  20, 
"  Wherefore,  if  ye  be  dead  with  Christ  from  the  rudiments 
of  the  world,  why,  as  though  living  in  the  world,  are  ye 
subject  to  ordinances,  (Touch  not,  taste  not,  handle  not: 
which  all  are  to  perish  with  the  using)  after  the  command- 
ments and  doctrines  of  men  ?"  What  can  be  more  plain  ? 
If  this  serve  not  to  take  away  the  absolute  necessity  of  the 
use  of  bread  and  wine,  what  can  it  serve  to  take  away  ? 
Sure  I  am,  the  reason  here  given  is  applicable  to  theraj 
"  which  all  do  perish  with  the  using ;"  since  bread  and 
wine  perish  with  the  using,  as  much  as  other  things.  But 
further,  if  the  use  of  water,  and  bread  and  wine,  were  that 
wherein  the  very  seals  of  the  new  covenant  stood,  and  did 
pertain  to  the  chief  sacraments  of  the  gospel  and  evan- 
gelical ordinances  (so  called),  then  would  not  the  gospel 
differ  from  the  law,  or  be  preferable  to  it.  Whereas  the 
apostle  shows  the  difference,  Heb.  ix.  10,  in  that  such  kind 
of  observations  of  the  Jews  were  as  a  sign  of  the  gospel, 
for  that  they  "  stood  only  in  meats  and  drinks,  and  divers 
washings."  But  if  the  gospel  worship  and  service  stand 
in  the  same,  where  is  the  difference? 

If  it  be  said.  These  under  the  gospel  have  a  spiritual 
siafnification  : 

So  had  those  under  the  law  ;  God  was  the  author  of 
those,  as  well  as  Christ  is  pretended  to  be  the  author  of 
these.    But  doth  not  this  contending  for  the  use  o(  watei, 


OF  THE  BODY  AND  BLOOP  OF  CHRIST. 


441 


bread  and  wine,  as  necessary  parts  of  the  gospel  worship, 
destroy  the  nature  of  it,  as  if  the  gospel  were  a  dispensa- 
tion of  shadows,  and  not  of  the  substance?    Whereas  the  The  law 
apostle,  in  that  of  the  Colossians  above  mentioned,  argues  jowsI'Vhe 
against  the  use  of  these  things,  as  needful  to  those  that  are  gospel 

°  ...  brings  the 

dead  and  arisen  with  Christ,  because  they  are  but  shadows,  substance. 
Anc  since,  through  the  whole  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  he 
argues  with  the  Jews,  to  wean  them  from  their  old  wor- 
ship, for  this  reason,  because  it  was  typical  and  figurative ; 
is  it  agreeable  to  right  reason  to  bring  them  to  another  of 
the  same  nature What  ground  from  scripture  or  reason 
can  our  adversaries  bring  us,  to  evince  that  one  shadow  or 
figure  should  point  to  another  shadow  or  figure,  and  not 
to  the  substance.''  And  yet  they  make  the  figure  of  cir- 
cumcision to  point  to  water  baptism,  and  the  paschal  lamb 
to  bread  and  wine.  But  was  it  ever  known  that  one  figure 
was  the  anti-type  of  the  other,  especially  seeing  Protestants 
make  not  these  their  anti-types  to  have  any  more  virtue 
and  efficacy  than  the  type  had For  since,  as  they  say, 
and  that  truly.  That  their  sacraments  confer  not  grace,  but  Their  sa- 
that  it  is  conferred  according  to  the  faith  of  the  receiver,  it  confer"noi 
will  not  be  denied  but  the  faithful  among  the  Jews  received  grace, 
also  grace  in  the  use  of  liieir  figurative  worship.  And 
though  Papists  boast  that  their  sacraments  confer  grace  ex 
opere  operato,  yet  experience  abundantly  proveth  the  con- 
trary. 

§  X.  But  supposing  the  use  of  water  baptism  and  bread  Opposer* 
and  wine  to  have  been  in  the  primitive  church,  as  was  also  plfw'eMo 
that  of  "  abstaining  from  things  strangled,  and  from  blood,"  g've  their 

I  1^   1  I  •  n         '  8&Cr&- 

the  use  of  legal  purification,  Acts  xxi.  23,  24,  25,  andmems; 
anointing  of  the   sick  with  oil,    for  the   reasons  and  whence  do 

iKounds  before  mentioned  :  yet  it  remains  for  our  adver-  '"^^  denft 

.  It  ? 

saries  to  show  us  how  they  come  by  power  or  authority  to 

administer  them.  It  cannot  be  from  the  letter  of  the  scrip- 
ture, else  they  ought  also  to  do  those  other  things,  which 
the  letter  declares  also  they  did,  and  which  in  the  letter 
have  as  much  foundation.  Then  their  power  must  be 
derived  from  the  apostles,  either  mediately  or  immediately; 


448 


PROPOSITION  xm. 


but  we  have  shown  before,  in  the  tenth  proposition,  .hax 

they  have  no  mediate  power,  because  of  the  interruption 

made  by  the  apostasy  ;  and  for  an  immediate  power  or 

command  by  the  Spirit  of  God  to  administer  these  things, 

none  of  our  adversaries  pretend  to  it.    We  know  that  in 

this,  as  in  other  things,  they  make  a  noise  of  the  constant 

consent  of  the  church,  and  of  Christians  in  all  ages;  bjt 

Tradition    as  tradition  is  not  a  sufficient  ground  for  faith,  so  in  this 

groun/for  matter  especially  it  ought  to  have  but  small  weight ;  for  that 

faith.         in  jjjis  point  of  ceremonies  and  superstitious  observations 

the  apostacy  began  very  early,  as  may  appear  in  the  epistles 

of  Paul  to  the  Galatians  and  Colossians  ;  and  we  have  no 

ground  to  imitate  them  in  those  things,  whose  entrance  the 

apostle  so  much  withstood,  so  heavily  regretted,  and  so 

sharply  reproved.    But  if  we  look  to  antiquity,  we  find, 

that  in  such  kind  of  observances  and  traditions  they  were 

very  uncertain  and  changeable  ;  so  that  neither  Protestants 

The  supper  nor  Papists  do  observe  this  ceremony  as  they  did,  both  in 

to^young^    that  they  gave  it  to  young  boys,  and  to  little  children :  and 

boys  and  for  aught  can  be  learned,  the  use  of  this  and  infant  bap- 
children.       .         °  .  '  .       .  » 

tism  are  of  a  like  age,  though  the  one  be  laid  aside  both 

by  Papists  and  Protestants,  and  the  other,  to  wit,  baptism 
of  infants,  be  stuck  to.  And  we  have  so  much  the  less 
reason  to  lay  weight  upon  antiquity,  for  that  if  we  con- 
sider their  profession  of  religion,  especially  as  to  worship, 
and  the  ceremonial  part  of  it,  we  shall  not  find  any  church 
now,  whether  Popish  or  Protestant,  who  differ  not  widely 
Dalleus.  from  them  in  many  things,  as  Dallseus,  in  his  treatise  con- 
cerning the  Use  of  the  Fathers,  well  observeth  and  demon- 
strateth.  And  why  they  should  obtrude  this  upon  us 
because  of  the  ancients'  practice,  which  they  themselves 
follow  not,  or  why  we  may  not  reject  this,  as  well  as  they 
do  other  things  no  less  zealously  practised  by  the  ancients, 
no  sufficient  reason  can  be  assigned. 

Nevertheless  I  doubt  not  but  many,  whose  undeistand- 
ings  have  been  clouded  with  these  ceremonies,  have  not- 
withstanding, by  (he  mercy  of  God,  had  some  secret  sense 
of  the  imstery,  which  they  could  not  clearly  understand 


OF  THE  BODY  AND  BLOOD  Of  CHRIST. 


449 


because  it  was  veiled  from  them  by  their  sticking  to  such 
outward  things  ;  and  that  through  that  secret  sense  diving 
m  their  comprehensions  they  ran  themselves  into  these 
carnal  apprehensions,  as  imagining  the  substance  of  the 
bread  was  changed,  or  that  if  the  substance  was  not  changed, 
yet  the  body  was  there,  &c.  And  indeed  I  am  inclinable 
very  favourably  to  judge  of  Calvin  in  this  particular,  in  Calvin's  in 
that  he  deals  so  ingenuously  to  confess  he  "  neither  com-  fonfessfon 
prebends  it,  nor  can  express  it  in  words ;  but  yet  by  a  feel-  commend- 
ing experience  can  say.  The  Lord  is  spiritually  present." 
Now  as  I  doubt  not  but  Calvin  sometimes  had  a  sense  of 
his  presence  without  the  use  of  this  ceremony,  so  as  the 
understanding  given  him  of  God  made  him  justly  reject 
the  false  notions  of  transubstantiation  and  consubstantia- 
tion,  though  he  knew  not  what  to  establish  instead  of 
them,  if  he  had  fully  waited  in  the  light  that  makes  all  Eph.  y.  13 
things  manifest,  and  had  not  laboured  in  his  own  compre- 
hension to  settle  upon  that  external  ceremony,  by  affixing 
the  spiritual  presence  as  chiefly  or  principally,  though  not 
only,  as  he  well  knew  by  experience,  there,  or  especially 
to  relate  to  it,  he  might  have  further  reached  unto  the 
knowledge  of  this  mystery  than  many  that  went  before 
him. 

§  XI.  Lastly,  If  any  now  at  this  day,  from  a  true  ten-  In  tender- 

derness  of  spirit,  and  with  real  conscience  towards  God,  science*'*** 

did  practice  this  ceremony  in  the  same  way,  method,  and  wink- 
111         ...       ^,   .    .  11-  •     eth  at  our 

manner  as  did  the  primitive  Christians  recorded  in  scrip-  ignorance. 

ture,  I  should  not  doubt  to  affirm  but  they  might  be  in- 
dulged in  it,  and  the  Lord  might  regard  them,  and  for  a 
season  appear  to  them  in  the  use  of  these  things,  as  many 
of  us  have  known  him  to  do  to  us  in  the  time  of  our  igno 
ranee  ;  providing  always  they  did  not  seek  to  obtrude  them 
upon  others,  nor  judge  such  as  found  themselves  delivered 
from  them,  or  that  they  do  not  pertinaciously  adhere  to  -pj^g  ^^yj^ 
them.    For  we  certainly  know  that  the  day  is  dawned,  in  dawned 


wherein 


I  naei 


which  God  hath  arisen,  and  hath  dismissed  all  those  cere- 

monies  and  rites,  and  is  only  to  be  worshipped   n  Spirit,  ^P^  ^°J' 

111  1  1  ■  11      shipped  n 

and  that  he  appears  to  them  who  wait  upon  him  ,  and  that  Spint. 

38*  3g 


450 


PROPOSITION  XIV. 


to  seek  God  in  these  things  is,  with  Mary  at  the  sepuNihre, 
to  seek  the  Hving  among  the  dead :  for  we  know  that  he  is 
risen,  and  revealed  in  Spirit,  leading  his  chil  lren  out  of 
these  rudiments,  that  they  may  walk  with  him  in  his  light : 
to  whom  be  glory  for  ever.  Amen. 


PROPOSITION  XIV. 

Concerning  the  Power  of  the  Civil  Magistrate  in  Mattery 
purely  Religious,  and  pertaining  to  the  Conscience. 

Since  God  hath  assumed  to  himself  the  power  and  domi- 
nion of  the  conscience,  who  alone  can  rightly  instruct 
Luke^ix.        and  govern  it,  therefore  it  is  not  lawful  for  any,  whoso - 
Mat.vii.  12,     ever,  by  virtue  of  any  authority  or  principality  they  bear 
ru^hi  10  government  of  this  world,  to  force  the  consciences 

of  others ;  and  therefore  all  killing,  banishing,  fining, 
imprisoning,  and  other  such  things  which  are  inflicted 
upon  men  for  the  alone  exercise  of  their  conscience,  or 
difference  in  worship  or  opinion,  proceedeth  from  the 
spirit  of  Cain  the  murderer,  and  is  contrary  to  the  truth  ; 
providing  always,  that  no  man,  under  the  pretence  of 
conscience,  prejudice  his  neighbour  in  his  life  or  estate, 
or  do  any  thing  destructive  to,,  or  inconsistent  with, 
human  society  ;  in  which  case  the  law  is  for  the  trans- 
gressor, and  justice  is  to  be  administered  upon  all,  with- 
out respect  of  persons. 

§  I.  LiBERTv  of  conscience  from  the  power  of  the  civU 
magistrate  hath  been  of  late  years  so  largely  and  learnedly 
handled,  that  I  shall  need  to  be  but  brief  in  it ;  yet  it  is  to 
be  lamented  that  few  have  walked  answerably  to  this  prin- 
ciple, each  pleading  it  for  themselves,  but  scarce  allowing 
it  to  others,  as  hereafter  I  shall  have  occasion  more  at 
length  to  observe. 

It  will  be  fit  in  the  first  place,  for  clearing  of  mistakes 


OF  THE  row  i:r  or  the  civil  magistrate. 


451 


to  say  something  of  the  state  of  the  controversy,  that  \vh=it 
follows  may  be  the  more  clearly  understood. 

By  conscience  then,  as  in  the  explanation  of  the  fifth 
and  sixth  propositions  I  have  observed,  is  to  be  understood  What  con 
that  persuasion  of  the  mind  which  arises  from  the  under- 
standing's  being  possessed  with  the  belief  of  the  truth  or 
falsity  of  any  thing  ;  which  though  it  may  be  false  or  evil 
upon  the  matter,  yet  if  a  man  should  go  against  his  per- 
suasion or  conscience,  he  would  commit  a  sin  ;  because 
what  a  man  doth  contrary  to  his  faith,  though  his  faith  be 
wrong,  is  no  ways  acceptable  to  God.  Hence  the  apostle 
saith,  "  Whatsoever  is  not  of  faith,  is  sin ;  and  he  that  Rom.  xiv, 
doubteth  is  damned  if  he  eat ;"  though  the  thing  might 
have  been  lawful  to  another  ;  and  that  this  doubting  to  eat 
some  kind  of  meats  (since  all  the  creatures  of  God  are 
good,  and  for  the  use  of  man,  if  received  with  thanksgiving) 
might  be  a  superstition,  or  at  least  a  weakness,  which  were 
better  removed.  Hence  Ames,  de  Cas.  Cons,  saith,  "The 
conscience,  although  erring,  doth  evermore  bind,  so  as 
that  he  sinneth  who  doth  contrary  to  his  conscience,*  be-  ^* 

•  he  sup 

cause  he  doth  contrary  to  the  will  of  God,  although  not  poseih. 
materially  and  truly,  yet  formally  and  interpretatively." 

So  the  question  is,  First,  Whether  the  civil  magistrate 
hath  power  to  force  men  in  things  religious  to  do  contrary 
to  their  conscience  ;  and  if  they  will  not,  to  punish  them 
in  their  goods,  liberties,  or  lives.'  This  we  hold  in  the 
negative.  But  Secondly,  As  we  would  have  the  magis- 
trate to  avoid  this  extreme  of  encroaching  upon  men's  con- 
sciences, so  on  the  other  hand  we  are  far  from  joining  with 
or  strengthening  such  libertines  as  would  stretch  the  liberty 
of  their  consciences  to  the  prejudice  of  their  neighbours, 
or  to  the  ruin  of  human  society.  We  understand  there- 
fore by  matters  of  conscience  such  as  immediately  relate 
betwixt  God  and  man,  or  men  and  men,  that  are  under 
the  same  persuasion,  as  to  meet  together  and  worship  God 
in  that  way  which  they  judge  is  most  ai^ceptable  unto  him, 
and  not  to  encroach  upon,  or  seek  to  force  their  neighbours, 
otl\erwLse  than  by  reason,  or  such  other  means  as  Christ 


PROPOSITION  XIV. 


and  his  apostles  used,  viz. :  Preaching  and  instructing  such 
as  will  hear  and  receive  it ;  but  not  at  all  for  men,  under 
the  notion  of  conscience,  to  do  any  thing  contrary  to  the 
moral  and  perpetual  statutes  generally  acknowledged  by 
all  Christians ;  in  which  case  the  magistrate  may  very  law- 
fully use  hia  authority  ;  as  on  those,  who,  under  a  pretence 
of  conscience,  make  it  a  principle  to  kill  and  destroy  al' 
the  wicked,  id  est,  all  that  ditl'er  from  them,  that  they,  t( 
wit,  the  saints,  may  rule,  and  who  therefore  seek  to  make 
all  things  common,  and  would  force  their  neighbours  to 
share  their  estates  with  them,  and  many  such  wild  notions, 
as  is  reported  of  the  Anabaptists  of  Munster;  which  evi- 
dently appears  to  proceed  from  pride  and  covetousness, 
and  not  from  purity  or  conscience  ;  and  therefore  I  have 
sufficiently  guarded  against  that  in  the  latter  part  of  the 
proposition.  But  the  liberty  we  lay  claim  to  is  such  as 
the  primitive  church  justly  sought  under  the  heathen  em- 
perors, to  wit,  for  men  of  sobriety,  honesty,  and  a  peace- 
able, conversation,  to  enjoy  the  liberty  and  exercise  of  their 
conscience  towards  God  and  among  themselves,  and  to 
admit  among  them  such  as  by  their  persuasion  and  in- 
fluence come  to  be  convinced  of  the  same  truth  with  them, 
without  being  therefore  molested  by  the  civil  magistrate. 
Thirdly,  Though  we  would  not  have  men  hurt  in  their 
temporals,  nor  robbed  of  their  privileges  as  men  and  mem- 
bers of  the  commonwealth,  because  of  their  inward  per- 
suasion ;  yet  we  are  far  from  judging  that  in  the  church  of 
God  there  should  not  be  censures  exercised  against  such 
as  fall  into  error,  as  well  as  such  as  commit  open  evils ; 
and  therefore  we  believe  it  may  be  very  lawful  for  a  Chris- 
tian church,  if  she  find  any  of  her  members  fall  into  any 
error,  after  due  admonitions  and  instructions  according  to 
gospel  order,  if  she  find  them  pertinacious,  to  cut  them  off 
from  her  fellowship  by  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  and  deprive 
them  of  those  privileges  which  they  had  as  fellow-mem- 
bers ;  but  not  to  cut  them  off  from  the  world  by  the  tem- 
poral sword,  or  rob  them  of  their  common  privileges  as 
men,  seeing  they  enjoy  not  these  as  Christians,  or  under 


OF  THE  POWER  OF  THE  CIVIL  MAGISTRATE. 


such  a  fellowship,  but  as  men,  and  members  of  the  crea- 
tion. Hence  Chrysostom  saith  well,  (de  Anath.)  "We 
must  condemn  and  reprove  the  evil  doctrines  that  proceed 
frort  heretics ;  but  spare  the  men,  and  pray  for  their  sal- 
vation." 

§  II.  But  that  no  man,  by  virtue  of  any  power  or  prin- 
cipality he  hath  in  the  government  of  this  world,  hath 
power  over  the  consciences  of  men,  is  apparent,  because 
tlie  conscience  of  man  is  the  seat  and  throne  of  God  in  Conscienci 
him,  of  which  God  is  the  alone  proper  and  infallible  judge,  of^JoJi""* 
who  by  his  power  and  Spirit  can  alone  rectify  the  mistakes 
of  conscience,  and  therefore  hath  reserved  to  himself  the 
power  of  punishing  the  errors  thereof  as  he  seeth  meet. 
Now  for  the  magistrate  to  assume  this,  is  to  take  upon  him 
to  meddle  with  things  not  within  the  compass  of  his  juris- 
diction :  for  if  this  were  within  the  compass  of  his  juris- 
diction, he  should  be  the  proper  judge  in  these  things  ;  and 
also  it  were  needful  to  him,  as  an  essential  qualification  of 
his  being  a  magistrate,  to  be  capable  to  judge  in  them. 
But  that  the  magistrate,  as  a  magistrate,  is  neither  proper 
judge  in  these  cases,  nor  yet  that  the  capacity  so  to  be  is 
requisite  in  him  as  a  magistrate,  our  adversaries  cannot 
Vny  ;  or  else  they  must  say,  That  all  the  heathen  magis- 
trates were  either  no  lawful  magistrates,  as  wanting  some- 
thing essential  to  magistracy,  and  this  were  contrary  to  the 
express  doctrine  of  the  apostle,  Rom.  xiii.,  or  else  (which 
is  more  absurd)  that  those  heathen  magistrates  were  proper 
judges  in  matters  of  conscience  among  Christians.  As  for 
that  evasion  that  the  magistrates  ought  to  punish  according 
to  the  church  censure  and  determination,  which  is  indeed 
no  less  than  to  make  the  magistrate  the  church's  hangman, 
we  shall  have  occasion  to  speak  of  it  hereafter.  But  if  the 
chief  members  of  the  church,  though  ordained  to  inform, 
instruct,  and  reprove,  are  not  to  have  dominion  over  the 
faith  nor  consciences  of  the  faithful,  as  the  apostle  ex- 
pressly affirms,  2  Cor.  i.  24,  then  far  less,  ought  they  to 
usurp  this  dominion,  or  stir  up  the  magistrate  to  persecute 
and  murder  those  who  cannot  yield  to  them  therein. 


454 


PROPOSITION  XIV. 


Secondly,  This  pretended  power  of  the  magistrate  is 
both  contrary  unto,  and  inconsistent  with  the  nature  of  the 
gospel,  which  is  a  thing  altogether  extrinsic  to  the  rule  and 
government  of  political  states,  as  Christ  expressly  signi- 
fied, saying,  His  kingdom  was  not  of  this  world  ;  and  if 
the  propagating  of  the  gospel  had  had  any  necessary  rela- 
tion thereunto,  then  Christ  had  not  said  so.  But  he 
abundantly  hath  shown  by  his  example,  whom  we  are 
chiefly  to  imitate  in  matters  of  that  nature,  that  it  is  by' 
persuasion  and  the  power  of  God,  not  by  whips,  imprison- 
ments, banishments,  and  murderings,  that  the  gospel  is  to 
be  propagated  ;  and  that  those  that  are  the  propagators  of 
it  are  often  to  suflfer  by  the  wicked,  but  never  to  cause  the 
wicked  to  suffer.    When  he  sends  forth  his  disciples,  he 

Mat*.  J  16.  tells  them,  he  sends  them  forth  as  "  lambs  among  wolves," 
to  be  willing  to  be  devoured,  not  to  devour ;  he  tells  them 
of  their  being  whipped,  imprisoned,  and  killed  for  their 
conscience  ;  but  never  that  they  shall  either  whip,  imprison, 
or  kill ;  and  indeed  if  Christians  must  be  as  lambs,  it  is 
not  the  nature  of  lambs  to  destroy  or  devour  any.  It 
serves  nothing  to  allege,  that  in  Christ's  and  his  apostles' 
times  the  magistrates  were  heathen,  and  therefore  Christ 
and  his  apostles,  nor  yet  any  of  the  believers,  being  no 
magistrates,  could  not  exercise  the  power ;  because  it  can- 
not be  denied  but  Christ,  being  the  Son  of  God,  had  a  true 

Malt        right  to  all  kingdoms,  and  was  righteous  heir  of  the  earth. 

ixviii.  18  Next,,  as  to  his  power,  it  cannot  be  denied  but  he  could, 
if  he  had  seen  meet,  have  called  for  legions  of  angels  to 
defend  him,  and  have  forced  the  princes  and  potentates  of 
the  earth  to  be  subject  unto  him.  Mat.  xxvi.  53.  So  that 
it  was  only  because  it  was  contrary  to  the  nature  of  Christ's 
gospel  and  ministry  to  use  any  force  or  violence  in  the 
gathering  of  souls  to  him.  This  he  abundantly  expressed 
in  his  reproof  to  the  two  sons  of  Zebedee,  who  would  have 
been  calling  for  fire  from  heaven  to  burn  those  that  refused 
to  receive  Christ :  it  is  not  to  be  doubted  but  this  was  as 
great  a  crime  as  now  to  be  in  an  error  concerning  the  faith 
and  doctrine  of  Christ.  That  there  was  not  power  wanting 


OF  THE  POWER  OF  THE   CIVIL  MAGISTRATE. 


455 


lo  have  punished  those  refusers  of  Christ  cannot  be  doubt- 
ed ;  for  they  that  could  do  other  miracles,  might  have  done 
this  also.  And  moreover,  they  wanted  not  the  precedent 
of  a  holy  man  under  the  law,  to  wit,  Elias  ;  yet  we  see  what 
Christ  saith  to  them,  "  Ye  know  not  what  spirit  ye  are  of," 
Luke  ix.  55,  "  For  the  Son  of  Man  is  not  come  to  destroy 
men's  lives,  but  to  save  them."  Here  Christ  shows  that 
such  kind  of  zeal  was  no  ways  approved  of  by  him  ;  and 
such  as  think  to  make  way  for  Christ  or  his  gospel  by  this 
means,  do  not  understand  what  spirit  they  are  of.  But  if 
it  was  not  lawful  to  call  for  fire  from  heaven  to  destroy  such 
as  refused  to  receive  Christ,  it  is  far  less  lawful  to  kindle 
fire  upon  earth  to  destroy  those  that  believe  in  Christ,  be- 
cause they  will  not  believe,  nor  can  believe,  as  the  magis- 
trates do,  for  conscience'  sake.  And  if  it  was  not  lawful 
for  the  apostles,  who  had  so  large  a  measure  of  the  Spirit, 
and  were  so  little  liable  to  mistake,  to  force  others  to  their 
judgment,  it  can  be  far  less  lawful  now  for  men,  who  as 
experience  declareth,  and  many  of  themselves  confess,  arc 
fallible,  and  often  mistaken,  to  kill  and  destroy  all  such  as 
cannot,  because  otherwise  persuaded  in  their  minds,  judge 
and  believe  in  matters  of  conscience  just  as  they  do.  And 
if  it  was  not  according  to  the  wisdom  of  Christ,  who  was 
and  is  King  of  kings,  by  outward  force  to  constrain  others 
to  believe  him  or  receive  him,  as  being  a  thing  inconsistent 
with  the  nature  of  his  ministry  and  spiritual  government, 
do  not  they  grossly  offend  him,  who  will  needs  be  wiser 
than  he,  and  think  to  force  men  against  their  persuasion  to 
conform  to  their  doctrine  and  worship  ?  The  word  of  the 
Lord  said,  "  Not  by  power  and  by  might,  but  by  my  Spirit 
saith  the  Lord,"  Zech.  iv.  6.  But  these  say,  Not  by  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord,  but  by  might  and  carnal  power.  The 
apostle  saith  plainly,  "  We  wrestle  not  with  flesh  and  a  Cor,  z.  i 
blood  ;"  and  "  the  weapons  of  our  warfare  are  not  carnal, 
but  mighty  through  God,"  &c.  ;  but  these  men  will  needs 
wrestle  with  flesh  and  blood,  when  they  cannot  prevail 
with  the  Spirit  and  the  understanding;  and  not  having 
sj)iritual  weapons,  go  about  with  carnal  weapons  to  estab- 


456 


PROPOSITION  XIV. 


lish  Christ's  kingdom,  which  they  can  never  do  :  and  there- 
fore when  the  matter  is  well  sifted,  it  is  found  to  be  more 
out  of  love  to  self,  and  from  a  principle  of  pride  in  man  to 
have  all  others  to  bow  to  him,  than  from  the  love  of  God. 
c<  3.  Christ  indeed  takes  another  method ;  for  he  saith,  "  His 
people  shall  be  a  willing  people  in  the  day  of  his  power ;" 
but  tiiese  men  labour  against  men's  wills  and  consciences, 
not  by  Christ's  power,  but  by  the  outward  sword,  to  make 
men  the  people  of  Christ,  which  they  never  can  do,  as  shall 
hereafter  be  shown. 

But  Thirdly,  Christ  fully  and  plainly  declareth  to  us  his 
sense  in  this  matter  in  the  parable  of  the  tares.  Mat.  xiii. 
25,  of  which  we  have  himself  the  interpreter,  ver.  38,  39, 
40,  41,  where  he  expounds  them  to  be  the  "  children  of 
the  wicked  one,"  and  yet  he  will  not  have  the  servants  to 
meddle  with  them,  lest  they  pull  up  the  wheat  therewith 
Now  it  cannot  be  denied  but  heretics  are  here  included ; 
and  although  these  servants  saw  the  tares,  and  had  a  cer- 
tain discerning  of  them  ;  yet  Christ  would  not  they  should 
meddle,  lest  they  should  hurt  the  wheat:  thereby  inti- 
mating, that  that  capacity  in  man  to  be  mistaken,  ought  to 
be  a  bridle  upon  him,  to  make  him  wary  in  such  matters; 
and  therefore,  to  prevent  this  hurt,  he  gives  a  positive  pro- 
hibition, "  But  he  said,  Nay,"  ver.  29.  So  that  they  who 
will  notwithstanding  be  pulling  up  that  which  they  judge 
is  tares,  do  openly  declare,  that  they  make  no  scruple  to 
break  the  commands  of  Christ.  Miserable  is  that  evasion 
which  some  of  our  adversaries  use  here,  in  alleging  these 
tares  are  meant  of  hypocrites,  and  not  of  heretics!  But 
how  to  evince  that,  seeing  heretics,  as  well  as  hypocrites, 
are  children  of  the  wicked  one,  they  have  not  any  thing 
but  their  own  bare  affirmation,  which  is  therefore  justly 
rejected. 

OitJECT,        If  they  say,  Because  hypocrites  cannot  be  discerned,  bu* 

so  may  heretics  ; 

Answ  This  is  both  false,  and  a  begging  of  the  question.  For 

those  that  have  a  spiritual  discerning,  can  discern  both 
hypocrites  and  heretics ;  and  those  that  want  it,  cannot 


OF  THE  POWER  OF  THE  CIVIL  MAGISTRATE. 


457 


certainly  discern  either.  Seeing  the  question  will  arise, 
Whether  that  is  a  heresy  which  the  magistrate  saith  is  so  ? 
and  seeing  it  is  both  possible,  and  confessed  by  all  to  have 
often  fallen  out,  that  some  magistrates  have  judged  that 
heresy  which  was  not,  punishing  men  accordingly  for  truth, 
instead  of  error ;  there  can  be  no  argument  drawn  from  the 
ol)'  iousness  or  evidence  of  heresy,  unless  we  should  con- 
clude heresy  could  never  be  mistaken  for  truth  nor  truth 
for  heresy  ;  whereof  experience  shows  daily  the  contrary, 
even  among  Christians.  But  neither  is  this  shift  applicable 
to  this  place  ;  for  the  servants  did  discern  the  tares,  and 
yet  were  liable  to  hurt  the  wheat,  if  they  had  ofTered  to  pull 
them  up. 

§  III.  But  they  object  against  this  liberty  of  conscience,  OBjKtr 
Deut.  xiii.  5,  where  false  prophets  are  aj)pointed  to  be  put 
to  death  ;  and  accordingly  they  give  example  thereof. 

The  case  no  way  holds  parallel ;  those  particular  com-  Answ. 
mands  to  the  Jews,  and  practices  following  upon  them,  are 
not  a  rule  for  Christians ;  else  we  might  by  the  same  rule 
say.  It  were  lawful  for  us  to  borrow  of  our  neighbours  their 
goods,  and  so  carry  them  away,  because  the  Jews  did  so 
by  God's  command  ;  or  that  it  is  lawful  for  Christians  to 
invade  their  neighbours'  kingdoms,  and  cut  them  all  off 
without  mercy,  because  the  Jews  did  so  to  the  Canaanites, 
by  the  command  of  God. 

If  they  urge.  That  these  commands  ought  to  stand,  ex-  Object. 
cept  they  be  repealed  in  the  gospel  ; 

I  say.  The  precepts  and  practices  of  Christ  and  his  apos-  Aisw. 
ties  mentioned  are  a  sufficient  repeal :  for  if  we  should 
plead,  that  every  command  given  to  the  Jews  is  binding 
upon  us,  except  there  be  a  particular  repeal  ;  then  would 
it  follow,  that  because  it  was  lawful  for  the  Jews,  if  any 
man  killed  one,  for  the  nearest  kindred  presently  to  kill  the 
murderer,  without  any  order  of  law,  it  were  lawful  for  us 
to  do  so  likewise.  And  doth  not  this  command  of  Deut 
xiii.  9,  openly  order  him  who  is  enticed  by  another  to  for- 
sake the  Lord,  though  it  were  his  brother,  his  son,  his 
daughter,  or  his  wife,  presently  to  kill  him  or  her "  Thou 
39  3h 


PROPOSITION  XXV, 


shalt  surely  kill  him,  thy  hand  shall  be  first  upon  h  na,  to 
put  him  to  death."  If  this  command  were  to  be  follow  d, 
there  needed  neither  inquisition  nor  magistrate  to  do  the 
business ;  and  yet  there  is  no  reason  why  they  should 
shuffle  by  this  part,  and  not  the  other ;  yea,  to  argue  thi? 
way  from  the  practice  among  the  Jews,  were  to  overturn 
the  very  gospel,  and  to  set  up  again  the  carnal  ordinances 
among  the  Jews,  to  pull  down  the  spiritual  ones  of  the 
gospel.  Indeed  we  can  far  better  argue  from  the  analogy 
betwixt  the  figurative  and  carnal  state  of  the  Jews,  and  the 
real  and  spiritual  one  under  the  gospel ;  that  as  Moses  de- 
livered the  Jews  out  of  outward  Egypt,  by  an  outward 
force,  and  established  them  in  an  outward  kingdom,  by 
destroying  their  outward  enemies  for  them  ;  so  Christ,  not 
by  overcoming  outwardly,  and  killing  others,  but  by  suffer 
ing  and  being  killed,  doth  deliver  his  chosen  ones,  the  in- 
ward Jews,  out  of  mystical  Egypt,  destroying  their  spiritual 
enemies  before  them,  and  establishing  among  them  his 
spiritual  kingdom,  which  is  not  of  this  world.  And  as  such 
as  departed  from  the  fellowship  of  outward  Israel  were  to 
be  cut  off  by  the  outward  sword,  so  those  that  depart  from 
the  inward  Israel  are  to  be  cut  off  by  the  sword  of  the 
Spirit:  for  it  answers  very  well,  that  as  the  Jews  were  to 
cut  off  their  enemies  outwardly,  in  order  to  establish  their 
kingdom  and  outward  worship,  so  they  were  to  uphold  it 
the  same  way :  but  as  the  kingdom  and  gospel  of  Christ 
was  not  to  be  established  or  propagated  by  cutting  off  or 
destroying  the  Gentiles,  but  by  persuading  them,  so  neither 
is  it  to  be  upheld  otherwise. 

ubject.  But  Secondly,  they  urge,  Rom.  xiii.,  where  the  magis- 
trate is  said  not  to  bear  the  sword  in  vain,  because  he  is 
the  minister  of  God,  to  execute  wrath  upon  such  as  do 
evil.    But  heresy,  say  they,  is  evil.  Ergo. 

knsw.  But  so  is  hypocrisy  also  ;  yet  they  confess  he  ought  not 

to  punish  that.  Therefore  this  must  be  understood  of  moral 
evils,  relative  to  affairs  betwixt  man  and  man,  not  of  mat- 
ters of  judgment  or  worship  ;  or  else  what  great  absurdities 
would  follow,  considering  that  Paul  wrote  here  to  ih« 


OF  THE  POWER  iF  THE  CIVII.  MAGISTRATE. 


459 


ihurch  of  Rome,  which  was  under  the  government  of  Nero, 
an  impious  heathen  and  persecutor  of  the  church  ?  Now 
if  a  power  to  punish  in  point  of  heresy  be  here  included,  it 
will  necessarily  follow,  that  Nero  had  this  power ;  yea,  and 
that  he  had  it  of  God  ;  for  because  the  power  was  of  God, 
therefore  the  apostle  urges  their  obedience.  But  can  there 
be  any  thing  more  absurd,  than  to  say  that  Nero  had  power 
to  judge  in  such  cases  ?  Surely  if  Christian  magistrates  be 
not  to  punish  for  hypocrisy,  because  they  cannot  outwardly 
discern  it ;  far  less  could  Nero  punish  anybody  for  heresy, 
which  he  was  incapable  to  discern.  And  if  Nero  had  not 
power  to  judge  or  punish  in  point  of  heresy,  then  nothing 
can  be  urged  from  this  place  ;  since  all  that  is  said  here,  is 
spoken  as  applicable  to  Nero,  with  a  particular  relation  to 
whom  it  was  written.  And  if  Nero  had  such  a  power, 
surely  he  was  to  exercise  it  according  to  his  judgment  and 
conscience,  and  in  doing  thereof  he  was  not  to  be  blamed  ; 
which  is  enough  to  justify  him  in  his  persecuting  of  the 
apostles,  and  murdering  the  Christians. 

Thirdly,  They  object  that  saying  of  the  apostle  to  the  Objeci 
Galatians,  v.  12,  "  I  would  they  were  even  cut  off  which 
trouble  you." 

But  how  this  imports  any  more  than  a  cutting  off  from  A»sw. 
the  church,  is  not,  nor  can  be  shown.  Beza  upon  the 
place  saith,  "  We  cannot  understand  that  otherwise  than 
of  excommunication,  such  as  was  that  of  the  incestuous 
Corinthian.  And  indeed  it  is  madness  to  suppose  it  other- 
wise ;  for  Paul  would  not  have  these  cut  off  otherwise  than 
he  did  Hymenaeus  and  Philetus,  who  were  blasphemers ; 
which  was  by  giving  them  over  to  Satan,  not  by  cutting 
off  their  heads." 

The  same  way  may  be  answered  that  other  argument, 
drawn  from  Rev.  ii.  20,  where  the  church  of  Thyatira  is 
reproved  for  suffering  the  woman  Jezebel :  whit  h  can  be 
no  otherways  understood,  than  that  they  did  not  excom- 
municate her,  or  cut  her  off  by  a  church  censure.  For  as 
*o  corporal  punishment,  it  is  known  that  -at  that  titre  the 


460 


PROPOSITION  XIV. 


Christians  had  not  power  to  punish  neretics  so,  it  they  hiid 
had  a  mind  to  it. 

Object.         Fourthly,  They  allege,  that  heresies  are  numbe.  ed  among 
the  works  of  the  flesh.  Gal.  v.  20.    Ergo,  &c. 

Ahw.  That  magistrates  have  power  to  punish  all  the  works  of 

the  flesh  is  denied,  and  not  yet  proved.  Every  evil  is  a 
work  of  the  flesh,  but  every  evil  comes  not  under  the  ma- 
gistrate's cognizance.  Is  not  hypocrisy  a  work  of  the 
flesh,  which  our  adversaries  confess  the  magistrates  ough 
not  to  punish  Yea,  are  not  hatred  and  envy  there  men 
tioned  as  works  of  the  flesh?  And  yet  the  magistrate  can. 
not  punish  them,  as  they  are  in  themselves,  until  they  exert 
themselves  in  other  acts  which  come  under  his  power.  But 
so  long  as  heresy  doth  not  exert  itself  in  any  act  destructive 
to  human  society,  or  such  like  things,  but  is  kept  within 
the  sphere  of  those  duties  of  doctrine  or  worship  which 
stand  betwixt  a  man  and  God,  they  no  ways  come  under 
the  magistrate's  power. 

§  IV.  But  Secondly  ;  This  forcing  of  men's  consciences 
is  contrary  to  sound  reason,  and  the  very  law  of  nature. 
For  man's  understanding  cannot  be  forced  by  all  the  bodily 
sufferings  another  man  can  inflict  upon  him,  especially  in 
matters  spiritual  and  supernatural  :  'Tis  argument,  and 
evident  demonstration  of  reason,  together  with  the  power 
of  God  reaching  the  heart,  that  can  change  a  man's  mind 
from  one  opinion  to  another,  and  not  knocks  and  blows, 
and  such  like  things,  which  may  well  destroy  the  body, 
but  never  can  inform  the  soul,  which  is  a  free  agent,  and 
must  either  accept  or  reject  matters  of  opinion  as  they  are 
borne  in  upon  it  by  something  proportioned  to  its  own 
nature.  To  seek  to  force  minds  in  any  other  manner,  is 
to  deal  with  men  as  if  they  were  brutes,  void  of  under- 
standing; and  at  last  is  but  to  lose  one's  labour,  and  as  the 
proverb  is,  '<  To  seek  to  wash  the  black-moor  white." 
By  that  course  indeed  men  may  be  made  hypocrites,  but 
can  never  be  made  Christians  ;  and  surely  the  products  of 
such  compulsion,  even  where  the  end  is  obtained,  to  wit, 
an  outward  assent  or  conformity,  whether  in  doctrine  or 


OF  THE  POWER  OF  THK  CIVIL  MAGISTRATE. 


461 


worship,  can  be  no  ways  acceptable  lo  God,  who  desireth 
not  any  sacrifice,  except  that  which  couieth  thoroughly  from 
the  heart,  and  will  have  no  constrained  ones  :  so  that  men, 
by  constraining  force,  are  so  far  from  being  members  of 
the  church,  that  they  are  made  ten  times  more  the  servants 
of  Satan  than  before  ;  in  that  to  their  error  is  added  hypo- 
crisy, the  worst  of  evils  in  matters  of  religion,  and  that 
which  above  all  things  the  Lord's  soul  most  abhors. 

But  if  it  be  said.  Their  error  notwithstanding  is  thereby  Objkt 
suppressed,  and  the  scandal  removed  ; 

I  answer  ;  Besides  that  this  is  a  meth«d  no  ways  allowed  Answ 
by  Christ,  as  is  above  proved,  surely  the  church  can  be  no 
ways  bettered  by  the  accession  of  hypocrites,  but  greatly 
corrupted  and  endangered  ;  for  open  heresies  men  may  be 
aware  of,  and  shun  such  as  profess  them,  when  they  are 
separated  from  the  church  by  her  censures ;  but  secret 
hypocrites  may  putrefy  the  body,  and  leaven  it,  ere  men 
be  aware.  And  if  the  dissenters  prove  resolute,  and  suffer 
boldly  for  the  opinions  they  esteem  right,  experience  show- 
eth  that  such  sufferings  often  tend  to  the  commendation  of 
the  sufferers,  but  never  of  the  persecutors.  For  such 
suffering  ordinarily  breeds  compassion,  and  begets  a  curi- 
osity in  others  to  enquire  the  more  diligently  into  the  things 
for  which  they  .see  men  suffer  such  great  losses  so  boldly ; 
and  is  also  able  to  beget  an  opinion,  that  it  is  for  some 
good  they  do  so  suffer  :  it  being  no  ways  probable  that 
men  will  venture  all  merely  to  acquire  fame ;  which  may 
as  well  be  urged  to  detract  from  the  reputation  of  all  the 
martyrs,  unless  some  better  arguments  be  brought  against 
it  than  a  halter  or  a  faggot.  But  supposing  this  principle, 
That  the  magistrate  hath  power  to  force  the  consciences 
of  his  subjects,  and  to  punish  them  if  they  will  not  com- 
ply, very  great  inconveniences  and  absurdities  will  follow, 
and  even  such  as  are  inconsistent  with  the  nature  of  the 
Christian  religion. 

For  First,  It  will  naturally  follow  that  the  magistrate 
ought  to  do  it,  and  sinneth  by  omission  of  his  duty,  if  he 
do  it  not.    Will  it  not  then  hence  be  inferred  that  Christ 
39  • 


462 


PROPOSITION  XIV. 


was  defective  to  his  church,  who  having  power  to  force 
men,  and  to  call  for  legions  of  angels  so  to  do,  did  not- 
withstanding not  exert  that  power,  but  left  his  church  to 
the  mercy  of  the  wicked,  without  so  necessary  a  bulwark  ? 

Secondly,  Seeing  every  magistrate  is  to  exercise  his 
power  according  to  the  best  understanding  he  hath,  being 
obliged  so  to  do,  for  the  promoting  of  what  he  in  con- 
science is  persuaded  to  be  truth,  will  not  this  justify  all  the 
heathen  emperors  in  their  persecutions  against  Christians? 
Will  not  this  justify  the  Spanish  inquisition,  which  yet  is 
odious  not  only  t»  Protestants,  but  to  many  moderate 
Papists?  How  can  Protestants  in  reason  condemn  the 
Papists  for  persecuting  them,  seeing  they  do  but  exercise 
a  lawful  power  according  to  their  conscience  and  best 
understanding,  and  do  no  more  to  them  than  the  sufferers 
profess  they  would  do  to  them,  if  they  were  in  the  like 
capacity?  Which  takes  away  all  ground  of  commiseration 
from  the  sufferers :  whereas  that  was  the  ground  which  of 
old  gained  reputation  to  the  Christians,  that  they  being 
innocent,  suffered,  who  neither  had,  nor  by  principle  could, 
hurt  any.  But  there  is  little  reason  to  pity  one  that  is  but 
dealt  by  according  as  he  would  deal  with  others.  For  to 
say,  They  have  no  reason  to  persecute  us,  because  they 
are  in  the  wrong,  and  we  in  the  right,  is  but  miserably  to 
beg  the  question.  Doth  not  this  doctrine  strengthen  the 
hands  of  the  persecutors  every  where,  and  that  rationally, 
from  a  principle  of  self-preservation ;  For  who  can  blame 
me  for  destroying  him  that  I  know  waits  but  for  an  occa- 
sion to  destroy  me,  if  he  could  ?  Yea,  this  makes  all 
suffering  for  religion,  which  of  old  was  the  ^lory  of  Chris- 
tians, to  be  but  of  pure  necessity ;  whereby  they  are  not 
led  as  lambs  to  the  slaughter,  as  was  the  captain  of  their 
salvation  ;  but  rather  as  wolves  catched  in  the  snare,  who 
only  bite  no*  again  because  they  are  not  able  ;  but  could 
they  get  force,  would  be  as  ready  to  lead  those  the  same 
way  that  led  them.  Where  is  the  faith  and  patience  of 
the  saints?  For  indeed  it  is  but  a  small  glory  to  make  a 
virtue  of  necessity,  and  suffer  because  I  cannot  help  it 


OF  THE  POWER  OF  THE  CIVIL  MAGISTRATE. 


46J 


Every  thief  and  murderer  would  be  a  martyr  at  that  rate : 
experience  hath  abundantly  proved  this  in  these  last  cen- 
turies ;  for  however  each  party  talk  of  passively  obeying 
'.he  magistrate  in  such  cases,  and  that  the  power  resides  in 
him,  yet  it  is  apparent,  that  from  this  principle  it  naturally 
follows,  that  any  party,  supposing  themselves  right,  should, 
so  soon  as  they  are  able,  endeavour  at  any  rate  to  get 
uppermost,  that  they  might  bring  under  those  of  another 
opinion,  and  force  the  magistrate  to  uphold  their  way,  to 
the  ruin  of  all  others.  What  engine  the  pope  of  Rome 
used  to  make  of  his  pretended  power  in  this  thing,  upon 
any  pretence  of  dislike  to  any  prince  or  state,  even  for  very 
small  heresies  in  their  own  account,  to  depose  princes,  and 
set  up  their  subjects  against  them,  and  give  their  dominions 
to  other  princes  to  serve  his  interest,  they  cannot  be  igno- 
rant who  have  read  the  life  of  Hildebrand  ;  and  how  Pro- 
testants have  vindicated  the  liberty  of  their  consciences 
after  this  same  manner  is  apparent.  They  suffered  much 
in  France,  to  the  great  increase  and  advantage  of  their 
party;  but  as  soon  as  they  found  themselves  considerable, 
and  had  gotten  some  princes  upon  their  side,  they  began 
to  let  the  king  know,  that  they  must  either  have  the  liberty 
of  their  consciences,  or  else  they  would  purchase  it ;  not 
by  suffering,  but  by  fighting.  And  the  experience  of  other 
Protestant  states  shows,  that  if  Henry  the  Fourth,  to  please 
the  Papists,  had  not  quitted  his  religion,  to  get  the  crown 
the  more  peaceably,  and  so  the  Protestants  had  prevailed 
with  the  sword,  they  would  as  well  have  taught  the  Papists 
with  the  faggot,  and  led  them  to  the  stake  :  so  that  this 
principle  of  persecution  on  all  hands  is  the  ground  of  all 
those  miseries  and  contentions.  For  so  long  as  any  party 
IS  persuaded  that  it  is  both  lawful  for  them,  and  their  duly, 
if  in  power,  to  destroy  those  that  differ  from  them,  it  natu- 
rally follows  they  ought  to  use  all  means  possible  to  get 
mat  power,  whereby  they  may  secure  themselves  in  the 
ruin  of  their  adversaries.  And  that  Papists  judge  it  not 
unlawful  to  compel  the  magistrate,  if  they  be  strong  enough 
(o  do  it,  to  effect  this,  experience  shows  it  to  be  a  known 


404 


PROPOSITION  XIV, 


popish  principle,  That  the  Pope  may  depose  an  neretic 
prince,  at.d  absolve  the  people  from  the  oath  of  fidelity: 
And  the  Pope,  as  is  above  said,  hath  done  so  to  divers 
princes ;  and  this  doctrine  is  defended  by  Bellarmint 
against  Barclay.  The  French  refused  Henry  the  Fourth 
till  he  quitted  his  religion.  And  as  for  Protestants,  many 
of  them  scruple  not  to  affirm,  That  wicked  kings  and  magis 
trates  may  be  deposed,  and  killed  :  yea,  our  Scotch  Pres- 
byterians are  as  positive  in  it  as  any  Jesuits,  who  would 
not  admit  king  Charles  the  Second,  though  otherwise  a 
Protestant  prince,  unless  he  would  swear  to  renounce  epis- 
copacy ;  a  matter  of  no  great  difference,  though  contrary 
to  his  conscience.  Now  how  little  proportion  these  things 
bear  with  the  primitive  Christians,  and  the  religion  propa- 
gated by  Christ  and  his  apostles,  needs  no  great  demon- 
stration ;  and  it  is  observable,  that  notwithstanding  many 
other  superstitions  crept  into  the  church  very  early,  yet  this 
of  persecution  was  so  inconsistent  with  the  nature  of  the 
gospel,  and  liberty  of  conscience,  as  we  have  asserted  it, 
such  an  innate  and  natural  part  of  the  Christian  religion, 
that  almost  all  the  Christian  writers,  for  the  first  three  hun- 
dred years,  earnestly  contended  for  it,  condemning  the 
contrary  opinion. 

Athan.  in  §  V.  Thus  Athanasius  ;  "  It  is  the  property  of  piety  not 
8olU  force,  but  to  persuade,  in  imitation  of  our  Lord,  who 

ag.  ibid.  forced  nobody,  but  left  it  to  the  will  of  every  one  to  follow 
him,  &c.  But  the  devil,  because  he  hath  nothing  of  truth, 
uses  knocks  and  axes,  to  break  up  the  doors  of  such 
as  receive  him.  But  our  Saviour  is  meek,  teaching  the 
truth ;  whosoever  will  come  after  me,  and  whosoever  wili 
be  my  disciple,  &c.,  but  constraining  none  ;  coming  to  us, 
and  knocking  rather,  and  saying.  My  sister,  niy  spouse 
open  to  me,  &c.  And  entereth  when  he  is  opened  to,  and 
retires  if  they  delay,  and  will  not  open  unto  him ;  because 
it  is  not  with  swords,  nor  darts,  nor  soldiers,  nor  armour, 
that  truth  is  to  be  declared,  but  with  persuasion  and  coun- 
sel.'' And  it  is  observable,  that  they  were  the  impious 
Arians  who  first  of  all  brought  in  this  doctrine,  to  perse- 


OF  THE  POWER  OF  THE  CIVIL  MAGISTRATE. 


465 


cute  otl.ers  among  Christians,  whose  successors  both  Pa 
j>ists  and  Protestants  are  in  this  matter,  whom  Athanasius  Athan. 
thus  reproveth  further:  "Where,"  saith  he,  "have  they  ^^^g^' gu^'J* 
[earned  to  persecute?  Certainly  they  cannot  say  they  have  'o™-  ^• 
learned  it  from  the  saints;  but  this  hath  been  given  them, 
and  taught  them  of  the  devil.    The  Lord  commanded  in- 
deed sometimes  to  flee,  and  the  saints  sometimes  fled  ;  but 
to  persecute  is  the  invention  and  argument  of  the  devil, 
vhich  he  seeks  against  all."    And  after,  he  saith,  "In  so 
far  as  the  Arians  banish  those  that  will  not  subscribe  their 
decrees,  they  show  that  they  are  contrary  to  Christians,  and 
friends  of  the  devil." 

"But  now,  O  lamentable!"  saith  Hilarius,  "they  are  Hil.  contw 
the  suflTrages  of  the  earth  that  recommend  the  religion  of 
God,  and  Christ  is  found  naked  of  his  virtue,  while  am- 
bition must  give  credit  to  his  name.  The  church  reproves 
and  fights  by  banishment  and  prisons,  and  forceth  herself 
to  be  believed,  which  once  was  believed  because  of  the 
imprisonments  and  banishments  herself  suffered.  She  that 
once  was  consecrated  by  the  terrors  of  her  persecutofs,  de- 
pends now  upon  the  dignity  of  those  that  are  in  her  com- 
munion. She  that  once  was  propagated  by  her  banished 
priests,  now  banisheth  the  priests.  And  she  boasts  now, 
that  she  is  loved  of  the  world,  who  would  not  have  been 
Christ's  if  she  had  not  been  hated  of  the  world." 

"  The  church,"  saith  Hierom,  "  was  founded  by  shed-  Hierom, 
ding  of  blood,  and  by  suffering,  and  not  in  doing  of  hurt.  ad'Thef* 
The  church  increased  by  persecutions,  and  was  crowned 
by  martyrdom." 

Ambrose,  speaking  of  Auxentius,  saith  thus,  "  Whom  Amb., 
he  (viz.,  Auxentius)  could  not  deceive  by  discourse,  he  torn!  3^^' 
thinks  ought  to  be  killed  with  the  sword,  making  bloody 
laws  with  his  mouth,  writing  them  with  his  own  hands,  and 
imagining  that  an  edict  can  command  faith." 

And  the  same  Ambrose  saith,  That  going  into  France,  Amb., 
he  would  not  communicate  with  those  bishops  that  required  " 
that  heretics  should  be  put  to  death. 

The  emperor  Martianus,  who  assembled  the  council  of 
3i 


466 


PROPOSITION  XIV. 


Mart., 

epist.  ad 
Archi- 
niand,  &c. 
Mon.  Eg. 
in  acta 
concil. 
Clialced., 
torn.  2, 
cone.  gen. 
a  Hosii, 
epist.  ad— 
Constit. 
apud  Ath. 
in  Eph.  ad 
Eolit.  vit. 
torn.  1. 
b  Hil.  1.  1, 
ad  Const. 

0  Ambr. 
comm.  in 
Luc.  1.  7. 


d  Cypr., 
«pist.  62. 


•  Tertul., 
Apol.  c.  24 


Id.  Apol. 
c.  28. 


Idem  ad 
Scapul.  c. 


Chalcedon,  protests,  That  he  would  not  force  nor  con- 
strain any  one  to  subscribe  the  council  of  Chalcedon 
against  his  will. 

a  Hosius,  bishop  of  Corduba,  testifies,  That  the  emperor 
Constans  would  not  constrain  any  to  be  orthodox. 

^  Hilarius  saith  further,  That  God  teacheth,  rather  than 
exacteth,  the  knowledge  of  himself,  and  authorizing  his 
commandments  by  the  miracles  of  his  heavenly  works ;  he 
wills  not  that  any  should  confess  him  with  a  forced  will, 
&c.  He  is  the  God  of  the  whole  universe,  he  needs  not 
a  forced  obedience,  nor  requires  a  constrained  confes- 
sion. 

"  Christ,"  saith  Ambrose,  "  sent  his  apostles  to  sow 
faith  ;  not  to  constrain,  but  to  teach  ;  not  to  exercise  coer 
cive  power,  but  to  extol  the  doctrine  of  humility." 

Hence  Cyprian,'^  comparing  the  old  covenant  with  tht 
new,  saith,  "Then  were  they  put  to  death  with  the  out- 
ward sword;  but  now  the  proud  and  contumacious  are  cul 
off  with  the  spiritual  sword,  by  being  cast  out  of  the 
church."  And  this  answers  very  well  that  objection  be» 
fore  observed,  taken  from  the  practice  of  the  Jews  under 
the  law. 

e  "  See,"  saith  Tertullian  to  the  heathen,  "  if  it  be  not 
to  contribute  to  the  renown  of  irreligion,  to  seek  to  take 
away  the  liberty  of  religion,  and  to  hinder  men  their  choice 
of  God,  that  I  may  not  be  admitted  to  adore  whom  I  will, 
but  must  be  constrained  to  serve  him  whom  I  will  not. 
There  is  none,  nay,  not  a  man,  that  desires  to  be  adored 
by  any  against  their  will.  And  again,  It  is  a  thing  that 
easily  appears  to  be  unjust,  to  constrain  and  force  men  to 
sacrifice  against  their  wills  ;  seeing  to  do  the  service  of 
God  there  is  required  a  willing  heart."  And  again,  "  It 
is  a  human  right  and  natural  power  that  every  one  woiship 
what  he  esteems ;  and  one  man's  religion  doth  not  profii 
nor  hurt  another.  Neither  is  it  any  piece  of  religion  to 
enforce  religion  ;  which  must  be  undertaken  by  consent, 
and  not  by  violence,  seeing  that  the  sacrifices  themsel?e& 
are  not  required,  but  from  a  willing  mind." 


OF  THE  POWER  OF  THE  CIVIL  MAGISTRATE. 


461 


Now  how  either  Papists  or  Protestants,  that  boast  of 
antiquity,  can  get  by  these  plain  testimonies,  let  any  rational 
man  judge.  And  indeed  I  much  question  if  in  any  one 
point  owned  by  them,  and  denied  by  us,  they  can  find  all 
the  old  fathers  and  writers  so  exactly  unanimous.  Which 
shows  how  contrary  all  of  them  judged  this  to  be  to  the 
nature  of  Christianity,  and  that  in  the  point  of  persecution 
lay  no  small  part  of  the  apostasy  ;  which,  from  little  to 
more,  came  to  that,  that  the  pope,  upon  every  small  dis- 
content, would  excommunicate  princes,  absolve  their  sub- 
jects from  obeying  them,  and  turn  them  in  and  out  at  his 
pleasure.  Now  if  Protestants  do  justly  abhor  these  things 
among  Papists,  is  it  not  sad  that  they  should  do  the  like 
themselves?  A  thing  that  at  their  first  appearance,  when 
they  were  in  their  primitive  innocency,  they  did  not  think 
on,  as  appears  by  that  saying  of  Luther;  "Neither  pope  Luth.  lib. 
nor  bishop,  nor  any  other  man,  hath  power  to  oblige  a  fate^aby- 
Christian  to  one  syllable,  except  it  be  by  his  own  consent."  'o"- 
And  again,  "  I  call  boldly  to  all  Christians,  that  neither 
man  nor  angel  can  impose  any  law  upon  them,  but  so  far 
as  they  will:  for  we  are  free  of  all."  And  when  he  ap- 
peared at  the  diet  of  Spiers,  before  the  emperor,  in  a  par- 
ticular conference  he  had  before  the  archbishop  of  Triers 
and  Joachim,  elector  of  Brandenburgh,  when  there  seemed 
no  possibility  of  agreeing  with  his  opposers,  they  asking 
him,  What  remedy  seemed  to  him  most  fit.'  He  answer-  History  of 
ed,  "  The  counsel  that  Gamaliel  proposed  to  the  Jews,  to  of'rrent'^'' 
wit.  That  if  this  design  was  of  God,  it  would  stand  ;  if  not, 
it  would  vanish  ;  which  he  said  ought  to  content  the  pope  :" 
he  did  not  say.  Because  he  was  in  the  right  he  ought  to  be 
•spared.  For  this  counsel  supposeth,  that  those  that  are 
tolerated  may  be  wrong ;  and  yet  how  soon  did  the  same 
Luther,  'jre  he  was  well  secure  himself,  press  the  elector 
of  Saxony  to  banish  poor  Carolostadius,  because  he  could 
not  in  all  things  submit  to  his  judgment .''  And  certainly 
it  is  not  without  ground  reported,  that  it  smote  Luther  to 
the  heart  ;  so  that  he  needed  to  be  comforted,  when  he 
was  informed,  that  Carolostadius,  in  his  letter  to  his  con- 


468 


PROPOSITION  XIV. 


gregation,  styled  himself  "A  man  banislied  for  conscience^ 
by  the  procurement  of  Martin  Luther."  And  since,  both 
the  Lutherans  and  Calvinists  not  admitting  one  another  to 
worsliip  in  those  respective  dominions,  showeth  how  little 
betti^r  they  are  than  either  Papists  or  Arians  in  this  par- 
C«lv.  irnt  ticul.ir.  And  yet  Calvin  saith.  That  "  the  conscience  is 
sect. ^""^^  from  the  power  of  all  men  :"  if  so,  why  then  did  he 
cause  Castellio  to  be  banished,  because  lie  could  not,  for 
conscience'  sake,  believe  as  he  did.  That  God  had  or- 
dained men  to  be  damned  ?  And  Servetus  to  be  burned 
for  denying  the  divinity  of  Christ,  if  Calvin's  report  of 
him  be  to  be  credited  ?  Which  opinion,  though  indeed  it 
was  to  be  abominated,  yet  no  less  was  Calvin's  practice  in 
causing  him  to  be  burned,  and  afterwards  defending  that 
it  was  lawful  to  burn  heretics  ;  by  which  he  encouraged 
the  Papists  to  lead  his  followers  the  more  confidently  to 
the  stake,  as  having  for  their  warrant  the  doctrine  of  their 
own  sect-master ;  which  they  omitted  not  frequently  to 
twit  them  with,  and  indeed  it  was  to  them  unanswerable. 
Hence,  upon  this  occasion,  the  judicious  author  of  the 
History  of  the  Council  of  Trent,  in  his  fifth  book,  where 
giving  an  account  of  several  Protestants  that  were  burned 
for  their  religion,  well  and  wisely  observeth  it,  as  a  matter 
of  astonishment,  that  those  of  the  new  reformation  did 
offer  to  punish  in  the  case  of  religion.  And  afterwards, 
taking  notice  that  Calvin  justifies  the  punishing  of  heretics, 
he  adds,  "  But  since  the  name  of  heresy  may  be  more  or 
less  restricted,  yea,  or  diversely  taken,  this  doctrine  may 
be  likewise  taken  in  divers  senses,  and  may  at  one  time 
hurt  those,  whom  at  another  time  it  may  have  benefited." 
fi-oiestant  So  that  this  doctrine  of  persecution  cannot  be  main- 
etVen|thens  tained  by  Protestants  without  strengthening  the  hands  of 
the  popish  popish  inquisitors ;  and  indeed  in  the  end  lands  in  direct 
unquisiiijii.  p^i^^j,^  .  gj.gifjg^  if  I  lYiay  not  profess  and  preach  that  reli- 
gion, which  I  am  persuaded  in  my  own  conscience  is  trr  , 
it  is  to  no  purpose  to  search  the  scriptures,  or  to  seek  d 
choose  my  own  faith  by  convictions  thence  derived  ;  since 
whatevet-  I  there  observe,  or  am  persuaded  of,  I  must 


OF  THK  POWER  OK  THE  CIVIL  MAGISTRATE, 


469 


either  sul/ject  to  the  judgment  of  the  magistrato  and  church 
of  that  place  I  am  in,  or  else  resolve  to  remove  or  die. 
Yea.  doth  not  this  heretical  and  aiitichristian  doctrine, 
both  of  Papists  and  Protestants,  at  last  resolve  into  that 
cursed  policy  of  Mahomet,  who  prohibited  all  reason  or 
discourse  about  religion,  as  occasioning  factions  and  divi- 
sions ?  And  indeed  those  that  press  persecution,  and  deny 
liberty  of  conscience,  do  thereby  show  themselves  more 
the  disciples  of  Mahomet  than  of  Christ ;  and  that  they  are 
no  ways  followers  of  the  apostle's  doctrine,  who  desired 
the  Thessalonians  "  to  prove  all  things,  and  hold  fast  that 
which  is  good,"  1  Thess.  v.  21.  And  also  saith,  "  Unto 
such  as  are  otherwise  minded,  God  shall  reveal  it,"  Phil, 
iii.  15,  not  that  by  beatings  and  banishments  it  must  be 
knocked  into  them. 

§  VI.  Now  the  ground  of  persecution,  as  hath  been  above  Thegrouna 
shown,  is  an  unwillingness  to  suffer  ;_for  no  man,  that  will  °/on^'***"*' 
persecute  another  for  his  conscience,  would  suffer  for  his 
own,  if  he  could  avoid  it,  seeing  his  principle  obliges  him, 
if  he  had  power,  by  force  to  establish  that  which  he  judges 
is  the  truth,  and  so  to  force  others  to  it.  Therefore  I  judge 
it  meet,  for  the  information  of  the  nations,  briefly  to  add 
something  in  this  place  concerning  the  nature  of  true  Chris- 
tian sufferings,  whereunto  a  very  faithful  testimony  hath 
been  borne  by  God's  witnesses,  which  he  hath  rai.sed  up 
in  this  age,  beyond  what  hath  been  generally  known  or 
practised  for  these  many  generations,  yea,  since  the  apos- 
tasy took  place.  Yet  it  is  not  my  design  here  in  any  wise 
to  derogate  from  the  sufferings  of  the  Protestant  martyrs, 
whom  I  believe  to  have  walked  in  faithfulness  towards 
God,  according  to  the  dispensation  of  light  in  that  day  ap- 
pearing, and  of  which  many  were  utter  enemies  to  perse- 
cution, as  by  their  testimonies  against  it  might  be  made 
appear. 

But  the  true,  faithful  and  Christian  suffering  is  for  men  What  •rut 
to  j)rofess  what  they  are  persuaded  is  right,  and  so  practise  f^'^"^"'"^ 
and  perform  then  worship  towards  God,  as  being  their  true 
-iglr  so  to  do ;  and  neither  to  do  more  in  that,  because  of 
40 


I7C 


PROPOSITION  XIV. 


outward  encouragement  from  men;  nor  anv  shitless,  oe 

cause  of  the  fear  of  their  jaws  and  acts  against  it.  Thus 

for  a  Christian  man  to  vindicate  his  just  liberty  with  so 

much  boldness,  and  yet  innocency,  will  in  due  time, 

though  through  blood,  purchase  peace,  as  this  age  hath  in 

some  measure  experienced,  and  many  are  witnesses  of  it; 

which  yet  shall  be  more  apparent  to  the  world,  as  truth 

takes  place  in  the  eanh.    But  they  greatly  sin  against  this 

excellent  rule,  that  in  time  of  persecution  do  not  profess 

their  own  way  so  much  as  they  would  if  it  were  otherwise  ; 

and  yet,  when  they  can  get  the  magistrate  upon  their  side, 

not  only  stretch  their  own  liberty  to  the  utmost,  but  seek 

to  establish  the  same  by  denying  it  to  others. 

The  inno-       But  of  thi^  excellent  patience  and  sufferings,  the  wit- 

ingl  ol'ihe'  nesses  of  God,  in  scorn  called  Quakers,  have  given  a  mani- 

people  f^^^  proof :  for  so  soon  as  God  revealed  his  truth  among 
cal'cd  '  .  .  ° 

Quakers,  them,  without  regard  to  any  opposition  whatsoever,  oi 
what  they  might  meet  with,  they  went  up  and  down,  as 
they  were  moved  of  the  Lord,  preaching  and  propagating 
the  truth  in  market-pl.ices,  highways,  streets,  and  public 
temples,  though  daily  beaten,  whipped,  bruised,  haled,  and 
imprisoned  therefore.  And  when  there  was  any  where  a 
church  or  assembly  gathered,  they  taught  them  to  keep 
their  meetings  openly,  and  not  to  shut  the  door,  nor  do  il 
by  stealth,  that  all  might  know  it,  and  those  who  would 
might  enter.  And  as  hereby  all  just  occasion  of  fear  of 
plotting  against  the  government  was  fully  removed,  so  this 
their  courage  and  faithfulness  in  not  giving  over  their  meet- 
ing together  (^but  more  especially  the  presence  and  glor_i 
of  God  manifested  in  the  meeting  being  terrible  to  the  con- 
sciences of  the  persecutors),  did  so  weary  out  the  malice 
of  their  adversaries,  that  oftentimes  they  were  forced  tc 
leave  their  work  undone.  For  when  they  came  to  break 
up  a  meeting,  they  wtre  obliged  to  take  every  individual 
out  by  force,  diey  not  being  free  to  give  up  their  liberty  by 
dissolving  at  their  command:  and  when  they  were  haied 
out,  unless  they  were  kept  forth  by  violence,  they  present- 
ly returned  peaceaoly  to  theii  place.  Yea,  'vhen  sometimes 


OF  THE  POWKR  OF  THE  CIVIL  MAGISTRATE, 


the  magistrates  have  pulled  down  their  meeting-houses, 
the)'  have  met  the  next  day  openly  upon  the  rubbish,  and 
so  by  innocency  kept  their  possession  and  ground,  being 
properly  their  own,  and  their  right  to  meet  and  worship 
God  being  not  forfeited  to  any.  So  that  when  armed  men 
have  come  to  dissolve  them,  it  was  impossible  for  them  to 
do  it,  unless  they  had  killed  every  one ;  for  they  stood  so 
close  together,  that  no  force  could  move  any  one  to  stir, 
until  violently  pulled  thence :  so  that  when  the  malice  of 
their  opposers  stirred  them  to  take  shovels,  and  throw  the 
rubbish  upon  them,  there  they  stood  unmoved,  being 
willing,  if  the  Lord  should  so  permit,  to  have  been  there 
buried  alive,  witnessing  for  him.  As  this  patient  but  yet 
courageous  way  of  suffering  made  the  persecutors'  work 
very  heavy  and  wearisome  unto  them,  so  the  courage  and 
patience  of  the  sufferers,  using  no  resistance,  nor  bringing 
any  weapons  to  defend  themselves,  nor  seeking  any  ways 
revenge  upon  such  occasions,  did  secretly  smite  the  hearts 
of  the  persecutors,  and  made  their  chariot  wheels  go  on 
heavily.  Thus  after  much  and  many  kind  of  sufferings 
thus  patiently  borne,  which  to  rehearse  would  make  a 
volume  of  itself,  which  may  in  due  time  be  published  to 
the  nations  (for  we  have  them  upon  record)  a  kind  of  ne- 
gative liberty  has  been  obtained ;  so  that  at  present  for  the 
most  part  we  meet  together  without  disturbance  from  the 
magistrate.  But  on  the  contrary,  most  Protestants,  when 
they  have  not  the  allowance  and  toleration  of  the  magistrate, 
meet  only  in  secret,  and  hide  their  testimony  ;  and  if  they 
be  discovered,  if  there  be  any  probability  of  makmg  their 
escape  by  force  (or  suppose  it  were  by  cutting  ofl'  those 
lhat  seek  them  out)  they  will  do  it ;  whereby  they  lose  the 
glory  of  their  sufferings,  by  not  appearing  as  the  innocent 
followers  of  Christ,  nor  having  a  testimony  of  their  harm- 
lessness  in  the  hearts  of  their  pursuers,  their  fury,  by  such 
resistance,  is  the  more  kindled  against  them.  As  to  this 
last  part,  of  resisting  such  as  persecute  them,  they  can  lay 
claim  to  no  precept  from  Christ,  nor  any  example  of  hun 
or  his  apostles  approved. 


472 


PROPOSITION  XIV 


Object.  But  as  to  the  first  part,  for  fleeing  and  meetiftg  secietly 
and  not  openly  testifying  for  the  truth,  they  usually  object 
that  saying  of  Christ,  Mat.  x.  23,  "  When  they  persecute 
you  in  this  city,  flee  ye  into  another."  And  John  xx.  19, 
That  the  disciples  met  secretly  for  fear  of  the  Jews. 
And  Acts  ix.  25,  That  Paul  was  let  out  of  Damascus  in  a 
basket  down  by  the  wall. 
Answ  To  all  which  I  answer,  First,  As  to  that  saying  of  Christ, 

it  is  a  question  if  it  had  any  further  relation  than  to  that 
particular  message  with  which  he  sent  them  to  the  Jews ; 
yea,  the  latter  end  of  the  words  seem  expressly  to  hold 
foKu  ov  aiuch  ;  "  For  ye  shall  not  have  gone  over  the  cities 
of  Israel  L.i  the  Son  of  man  be  come."  Now  a  particular 
practice  or  command  for  a  particular  time  will  not  serve 
for  a  precedent  to  any  at  this  day  to  shun  the  cross  of 
Christ.  But  supposing  this  precept  to  reach  farther,  it 
must  be  so  understood  to  be  made  use  of  only  according 
as  the  Spirit  giveth  liberty,  Jse  no  man  that  could  flee 
Fleeing  in  might  suflfer  persecution.  How  then  did  not  the  apostles 
Becutkin*''^'  John  and  Peter  flee,  when  they  were  the  first  time  perse- 
not  allow-  cuted  at  Jerusalem  ?  B-it,  oh  ihe  contrary,  went  the  next 
day,  after  they  were  discharged  by  the  council,  and 
preached  boldly  to  the  people.  But  indeed  many  are  but 
too  capable  to  stretch  such  sayings  as  these  for  self-per~ 
servation,  and  therefore  have  great  ground  to  fear,  when 
they  interpret  them,  that  they  shun  to  witness  for  Christ, 
for  fear  of  hurt  to  themselves,  lest  they  mistake  them.  As 
for  that  private  meeting  of  the  disciples,  we  have  only  an 
account  of  the  matter  of  fact,  but  that  suffices  not  to  make 
of  it  a  precedent  for  us  ;  and  men's  aptness  to  imitate  them 
in  that  (which,  for  aught  we  know,  might  have  been  an  act 
of  weakness)  and  not  in  other  things  of  a  contrary  nature, 
shows  that  it  is  not  a  true  zeal  to  be  like  those  disciples, 
but  indeed  a  desire  to  preserve  themselves,  which  moves 
them  so  to  do.  Lastly,  As  to  that  of  Paul's  being  con- 
veyed out  of  Damascus,  the  case  was  singular;  and  is  not 
to  be  doubted  but  it  was  done  by  a  special  allowance  from 
God,  whc  having  designed  him  to  be  a  principal  minister 


OF  THE  POWER  OF  THE  CIVIL  MAGISTRATE. 


of  his  gospel,  saw  meet  in  his  wisdom  to  disappoint  the 
wicked  counsel  of  the  Jews.  But  our  adversaries  have  no 
such  pretext  for  fleeing,  whose  fleeing  proceeds  from  self- 
preservation,  not  from  immediate  revelation.  And  that 
Paul  made  not  this  the  method  of  his  procedure,  appears, 
in  that  at  another  time,  notwithstanding  the  persuasion  of 
nis  friends,  and  certain  prophecies  of  his  sufferings  to 
come,  he  would  not  be  dissuaded  from  going  up  to  Jeru- 
salem, which  according  to  the  forementioned  rule  he  should 
have  done. 

But  Lastly,  To  conclude  this  matter,  glory  to  God,  and 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  now  these  twenty-five  years, 
since  we  were  known  to  be  a  distinct  and  separate  people, 
hath  given  us  faithfully  to  suflfer  for  his  name,  without 
shrinking  or  fleeing  the  cross ;  and  what  liberty  we  now 
enjoy,  it  is  by  his  mercy,  and  not  by  any  outward  working 
or  procuring  of  our  own,  but  it  is  He  has  wrought  upon 
the  hearts  of  our  opposers.  Nor  was  it  any  outward  in- 
terest hath  procured  it  unto  us,  but  the  testimony  of  our 
harmlessness  in  the  hearts  of  our  superiors :  for  God  hath 
preserved  us  hitherto  in  the  patient  suffering  of  Jesus,  that 
we  have  not  given  away  our  cause  by  persecuting  any, 
jvhich  few  if  any  Christians  that  I  know  can  say.  Now 
against  our  unparalleled  yet  innocent  and  Christian  cause 
our  malicious  enemies  have  nothing  to  say,  but  that  if  we 
had  power,  we  would  do  so  likewise.  This  is  a  piece  of 
mere  unreasonable  malice,  and  a  privilege  they  take  to 
judge  of  things  to  come,  which  they  have  not  by  imme- 
diate revelation  ;  and  surely  it  is  the  greatest  height  of 
harsh  judgment  to  say  men  would  do  contrary  to  their 
professed  principle  if  they  could,  who  have  from  their  prac- 
tice hitherto  given  no  ground  for  it,  and  wherein  they  only 
judge  others  by  themselves;  such  conjectures  cannot  mili- 
tate against  us,  so  long  as  we  are  innocent.  And  if  ever 
we  prove  guilty  of  persecution,  by  forcing  other  men  by 
corporal  punishment  to  our  way,  then  let  us  be  judged  the 
greatest  of  hypocrites,  and  let  not  any  spare  to  persecute 
us.    Amen,  saith  my  soul. 

40*  3x 


474 


PROPOSITION  XV. 


PROPOSITION  XV. 

Concerning  Salutations  and  Recreations,  9fc. 

Ephes.  »  Seeing  the  chief  end  of  all  religion  is  to  redeem  men  from 
IPet.  i,l4.     ^he  spirit  and  vain  conversation  of  this  world,  and  to 

John  V  44.      lea  J  iqjQ  inward  communion  with  God,  before  whom  f 

Jer.  X.  J.  ' 

Acts  X.  26.      we  fear  always  we  are  accounted  happy;  therefore  all 

Col!  U.*8!^  the  vain  customs  and  habits  thereof,  both  in  word  and 
deed,  are  to  be  rejected  and  forsaken  by  those  who 
come  to  this  fear;  such  as  taking  off  the  hat  to  a  man, 
the  bowings  and  cringings  of  the  body,  and  such  other 
salutations  of  that  kind,  with  all  the  foolish  and  supersti- 
tious formalities  attending  them ;  all  which  man  hath 
invented  in  his  degenerate  state,  to  feed  his  pride  in  the 
vain  pomp  and  glory  of  this  world  :  as  also  the  unprofit- 
able plays,  frivolous  recreations,  sportings,  and  gamings, 
which  are  invented  to  pass  away  the  precious  time,  and 
divert  the  mind  from  the  witness  of  God  in  the  heart, 
and  from  the  living  sense  of  his  fear,  and  from  that 
evangelical  spirit  wherewith  Christians  ought  to  be 
leavened,  and  which  leads  into  sobriety,  gravity,  and 
godly  fear ;  in  which  as  we  abide,  the  blessing  of  the 
Lord  is  felt  to  attend  us  in  those  actions  in  which  we 
are  necessarily  engaged,  in  order  to  the  taking  care  for 
the  sustenance  of  the  outward  man. 


§  I.  Having  hitherto  treated  of  the  principles  of  religion, 
both  relating  to  doctrine  and  worship,  I  am  now  to  speak 
of  some  practices  which  have  been  the  product  of  this 
principle,  in  those  witnesses  whom  God  hath  raised  up  in 
this  day  to  testify  for  his  truth.  It  will  not  a  little  commend 
them,  I  suppose,  in  the  judgment  of  sober  and  judicious 
men,  that  taking  them  generally,  even  by  the  confession 
of  their  adversaries,  they  are  found  to  be  free  of  those 
abominations  which  abound  among  other  professors,  such 
as  are  swearing,  drunkenness,  whoredom,  riotousness,  &c. ; 
and  that  generally  the  very  coming  among  this  people 


OF  SALUTATIONS  AND  RECREATIONS. 


(loth  naturally  work  such  a  change,  so  that  many  vicious 
and  profane  persons  have  been  known,  by  coming  to  this 
truth,  to  become  sober  and  virtuous;  and  many  light,  vain, 
and  wanton  ones  to  become  grave  and  serious,  as  our 
adversaries  dare  not  deny  :*  yet  th<j ;  they  may  not  want 
something  to  detract  us  for,  cease  not  to  accuse  us  for  those 
things  which,  when  found  among  themselves,  they  highly 
commend  ;  thus  our  gravity  they  call  sullenness,  our  serious- 
ness melancholy,  our  silence  sottishness.  Such  as  have 
been  vicious  and  profane  among  them,  but  by  coming  to 
us  have  left  off  those  evils,  lest  they  should  commend  the 
truth  of  our  profession,  they  say,  that  whereas  they  were 
profane  before,  they  are  become  worse,  in  being  hypocriti- 
cal and  spiritually  proud.  If  any  before  dissolute  and  pro- 
fane among  them,  by  coming  to  the  truth  with  us,  become 
frugal  and  diligent,  then  they  will  charge  them  with  covet- 
ousness :  and  if  any  eminent  among  them  for  seriousness, 
piety,  and  discoveries  of  God,  come  unto  us,  then  they 
will  say,  they  were  always  subject  to  melancholy  and  to 
enthusiasm  ;  though  before,  when  among  them,  it  was 
esteemed  neither  melancholy  nor  enthusiasm  in  an  evil 
sense,  but  Christian  gravity  and  divine  revelation.  Our 
boldness  and  Christian  suffering  they  call  obstinacy  and 
pertinacity ;  though  half  as  much,  if  among  themselves, 
they  would  account  Christian  courage  and  nobility.  And 
though  thus  by  their  envy  they  strive  to  read  all  relating  to 
us  backwards,  counting  those  tilings  vices  in  us,  which  in 
themselves  they  would  extol  as  virtues,  yet  hath  the  strength 
of  truth  extorted  this  confession  often  from  them.  That  we 
are  generally  a  pure  and  clean  people,  as  to  the  outward 
conversation. 

But  this,  they  say,  is  but  in  policy  to  commend  our 
heresy. 

*  After  this  manner  the  Papists  used  to  disapprove  the  sobriety  of 
the  WalJenses,  of  whom  Reinerus,  a  Popish  autlior,  so  writeth:  "But 
tliis  sect  of  tlie  Leoiiists  hath  a  great  show  of  truth;  for  tliat  they  live 
righteously  tefore  men,  and  helieve  all  things  well  of  God,  and  all  the 
articles  which  are  contained  in  the  creed  ;  only  they  blaspheme  antj 
hato  tht  cnurch  9f  Rome  " 


476 


PROPOSITION  XV. 


But  such  policy  it  is,  say  I,  as  Christ  anvi  his  apostles 
made  use  of,  and  all  good  Christians  ought  to  do ;  yea,  so 
far  hath  truth  prevailed  by  the  purity  of  its  followers,  that 
if  one  that  is  called  a  Quaker  do  but  that  which  is  common 
among  them,  as  to  laugh  and  be  wanton,  speak  at  large, 
and  keep  not  his  word  punctually,  or  be  overtaken  with 
hastiness  or  anger,  they  presently  say,  0  this  is  against 
your  profession !  As  if  indeed  so  to  do  w^ere  very  con- 
sistent with  theirs ;  wherein  though  they  speak  the  truth, 
yet  they  give  away  their  cause.  But  if  they  can  find  any 
under  our  name  in  any  of  those  evils  common  among  them- 
selves (as  who  can  imagine  but  among  so  many  thousands 
there  will  be  some  chaff,  since  of  twelve  apostles  one  was 
found  to  be  a  devil),  0  how  will  they  insult,  and  make  more 
noise  of  the  escape  of  one  Quaker,  than  of  an  hundred 
among  themselves! 

§  II.  But  there  are  some  singular  things,  which  most  of 
all  our  adversaries  plead  for  the  lawfulness  of,  and  allow 
themselves  in,  as  no  ways  inconsistent  with  the  Christian 
religion,  which  we  have  found  to  be  no  ways  lawful  unto 
us,  and  have  been  commanded  of  the  Lord  to  lay  them 
aside  ;  though  the  doing  thereof  hath  occasioned  no  small 
sufferings  and  buffetings,  and  hath  procured  us  much 
hatred  and  malice  from  the  world.  And  because  the  nature 
of  these  things  is  such,  that  they  do  upon  the  very  sight 
distinguish  us,  and  make  us  known,  so  that  we  cannot  hide 
ourselves  from  any,  without  proving  unfaithful  to  our  testi- 
mony ;  our  trials  and  exercises  have  here-through  proved 
the  more  numerous  and  difficult,  as  will  after  appear.  These 
I  have  laboured  briefly  to  comprehend  in  this  proposition ; 
but  they  may  more  largely  be  exhibited  in  these  six  follow- 
ing propositions  : 

riattcrjig      I.  'I'hat  it  is  not  lawful  to  give  to  men  such  flattering 
titles.        titles,  as  Your  Holiness,  Your  Majesty,  Your  Eminency, 
Your  Excellency,  Your   Grace,   Your  Lordship,  Your 
Honour,  &c.,  nor  use  those  flattering  words,  commonly 
called  Compliments. 

II.  That  it  is  not  lawful  for  Christiars  to  kneel,  or  pros 


OF  SALUTATIONS  AND  RECREATIONS. 


4T7 


trate  themselves  to  any  man,  or  to  bow  the  body,  or  to  tn-  Hm  and 
cover  the  head  to  them. 

III.  That  it  is  not  lawful  for  a  Christian  to  use  super-  Apparel, 
fluities  in  apparel,  as  are  of  no  use,  save  for  ornament  and 
vanity. 

IV.  That  it  is  not  lawful  to  use  games,  sports,  plays.  Gaming, 
nor  among  other  things  comedies  among  Christians,  under 

the  notion  of  recreations,  which  do  not  agree  with  Chris- 
tian silence,  gravity,  and  sobriety  ;  for  laughing,  sporting, 
gaming,  mocking,  jesting,  vain  talking,  &c.,  is  not  Chris- 
tian liberty,  nor  harmless  mirth. 

V.  That  it  is  not  lawful  for  Christians  to  swear  at  all  Swearing, 
under  the  gospel,  not  only  not  vainly,  and  in  their  common 
discourse,  which  was  also  forbidden  under  the  Mosaical 

law,  but  even  not  in  judgment  before  the  magistrate. 

VI.  That  it  is  not  lawful  for  Christians  to  resist  evil,  or  Fighting, 
to  war  or  fight  in  any  case. 

Before  I  enter  upon  a  particular  disquisition  of  these  Degrees  of 
things,  I  shall  first  premise  some  general  considerations,  to  p'receieniy 
prevent  all  mistakes  ;  and  next  add  some  general  consider-  3"<^*»'e<^- 
ations,  which  equally  respect  all  of  them.  I  would  not 
have  any  judge,  that  hereby  we  intend  to  destroy  the 
mutual  relation  that  either  is  betwixt  prince  and  people, 
master  and  servants,  parents  and  children  ;  nay,  not  at  all : 
we  shall  evidence,  that  our  principle  in  these  things  hath 
no  such  tendency,  and  that  these  natural  relations  are 
rather  better  established,  than  any  ways  hurt  by  it.  Next, 
Let  not  any  judge,  that  from  our  opinion  in  these  things, 
any  necessity  of  levelling  will  follow,  or  that  all  men  must 
have  things  in  common.  Our  principle  leaves  every  man 
to  enjoy  that  peaceably,  which  either  his  own  industry,  or 
his  parents,  have  purchased  to  him  ;  only  he  is  thereby  in- 
structed to  use  it  aright,  both  for  his  own  good,  and  that 
of  his  brethren  ;  and  all  to  the  glory  of  God  :  in  which 
also  his  acts  are  to  be  voluntary,  and  no  ways  constrained. 
And  further,  we  say  not  hereby,  that  no  man  may  use  the 
creation  more  or  less  than  another :  for  we  know,  that  as 
it  hath  pleased  God  to  dispense  it  diversly,  giving  to  some 


178 


PROPOSITION  XV. 


more,  and  some  less,  so  they  may  use  it  accordingly 
Education  The  several  conditions,  under  which  men  are  diverslj 
cordiiigty."  st^'-^d,  together  with  their  educations  answering  there\into, 
do  sufficiently  show  this  :  the  servant  is  not  the  same  way 
educated  as  the  master  ;  nor  the  tenant  as  the  landlord  ; 
nor  the  rich  as  the  poor  ;  nor  the  prince  as  the  peasant. 
Now,  though  it  be  not  lawful  for  any,  however  great  abun- 
dance they  may  have,  or  whatever  their  education  may  be, 
to  use  that  which  is  merely  superfluous;  yet  seeing  their 
education  has  accustomed  them  thereunto,  and  their  capa- 
city enables  them  so  to  do,  without  being  profuse  or  extra- 
vagant, they  may  use  things  better  in  their  kind,  than  such 
whose  education  hath  neither  accustomed  them  to  such 
The  lawful  things,  nor  their  capacity  will  reach  to  compass  them.  For 
use  of  the  it  is  beyond  question,  that  whatever  thing  the  creation 
creation,  affords  is  for  the  use  of  man,  and  the  moderate  use  of 
them  is  lawful  ;  yet,  per  accidens,  they  may  be  unlawful  to 
some,  and  not  to  others.  As  for  instance,  he  that  by  rea- 
son of  his  estate  and  education  hath  been  used  to  eat  flesh 
and  drink  wine,  and  to  be  clothed  with  the  finest  wool,  if 
his  estate  will  bear  it,  and  he  use  it  neither  in  superfluity, 
nor  immoderately,  he  may  do  it  ;  and  perhaps,  if  he  should 
apply  himself  to  feed,  or  be  clothed  as  are  the  peasants,  it 
might  prejudice  the  health  of  his  body,  and  nothing 
advance  his  soul.  But  if  a  man,  whose  estate  and  edu- 
cation had  accustomed  him  to  both  coarser  food  and  rai- 
ment, should  stretch  himself  beyond  what  he  had,  or  were 
used  to,  to  the  manifest  prejudice  of  his  family  and  chil- 
dren, no  doubt  it  would  be  unlawful  to  him,  even  so  to  eat 
or  be  clothed  as  another,  in  whom  it  is  lawful ;  for  that  the 
other  may  be  as  much  mortified,  and  have  denied  himself 
as  much  in  coming  down  to  that,  which  this  aspires  to,  as 
he,  in  willing  to  be  like  him,  aspires  beyond  what  he  either 
is  able,  or  hath  accustomed  to  do.  The  safe  place  then  is, 
for  such  as  have  fulness,  to  watch  over  themselves,  thai 
to^heliT^he  ^^^^  "moderately,  and  rescind  all  superfluities ;  being 

poor.         willing,  as  far  as  they  can,  to  help  the  need  of  those  to 
whom  Providence  hath  allotted  a  smaller  allowance.  Let 


OF  SALUTATIONS  AND  RT-CREATIONS. 


479 


the  brother  of  high  degree  rejoice,  in  tliat  he  is  abased  ; 
and  such  as  God  calls  in  a  low  degree,  be  content  with 
their  condition,  not  envying  those  brethren  who  have 
greater  abundance,  knowing  they  have  received  abundance, 
as  to  the  inward  man  ;  which  is  chiefly  to  be  regarded. 
And  therefore  beware  of  such  a  temptation,  as  to  use  their 
calling  as  an  engine  to  be  richer,  knowing,  they  have  this 
advantage  beyond  the  rich  and  noble  that  are  called,  that 
the  truth  doth  not  any  ways  abase  them,  nay,  not  in  the 
esteem  of  the  world,  as  it  doth  the  other;  but  that  they 
are  rather  exalted  thereby,  in  that  as  to  the  inward  and 
spiritual  fellowship  of  the  saints,  they  become  the  brethren 
and  companions  of  the  greatest  and  richest ;  and  in  this 
respect.  Let  him  of  low  degree  rejoice  that  he  is  exalted. 

These  things  premised,  I  would  seriously  propose  unto 
all  such,  as  choose  to  be  Christians  indeed,  and  that  in 
nature,  and  not  in  name  only,  whether  it  were  not  desirable, 
and  would  not  greatly  contribute  to  the  commendation  of 
Christianity,  and  to  the  increase  of  the  life  and  virtue  of 
Christ,  if  all  superfluous  titles  of  honour,  profuseness  and 
prodigality  in  meat  and  apparel,  gaming,  sporting  and 
playing,  were  laid  aside  and  forborne?  And  whether 
such  as  lay  them  aside,  in  so  doing,  walk  not  more  like 
the  disciples  of  Christ  and  his  apostles,  and  are  therein 
nearer  their  example,  than  such  as  use  them  ?  Whether 
the  laying  them  aside  would  hinder  any  from  being  good 
Christians?  Or  if  Christians  might  not  be  better  without 
them,  than  with  them?  Certainly  the  sober  and  serious 
among  all  sorts  will  say.  Yea.  Then  surely  such  as  lay 
them  aside,  as  reckoning  them  unsuitable  for  Christians, 
are  not  to  be  blamed,  but  rather  commended  for  so  doing: 
because  that  in  principle  and  practice  they  effectually 
advance  that,  which  others  acknowledge  were  desirable, 
but  can  never  make  efTectual,  so  long  as  they  allow  the  use 
of  them  as  lawful.  And  God  hath  made  it  manifest  in 
this  age,  that  by  discovering  the  evil  of  such  things,  and 
leading  his  witnesses  out  of  them,  and  to  testify  against 
them,  he  hath  produced  effectually  in  many  that  mortifica- 


480 


PROPOSITION  XV. 


tion  and  abstraction  from  the  love  and  cares  of  this  world, 
who  daily  are  conversing  in  the  world,  but  inwardly  re- 
deemed out  of  it,  both  in  wedlock,  and  in  their  lawful  em- 
ployments, which  was  judged  could  only  be  obtained  by 
such  as  were  shut  up  in  cloisters  and  monast'-^i-ies.  Thus 
much  in  general. 

§  III.  As  to  the  first  we  affirm  positively,  That  it  is  not 
lawful  for  Christians  either  to  give  or  receive  these  titles 
of  honour,  as.  Your  Holiness,  Your  Majesty,  Your  Excel- 
lency, Your  Eminency,  &c. 
Titlea.  First,  Because  these  titles  are  no  part  of  that  obedience 

which  is  due  to  magistrates  or  superiors  ;  neither  doth  the 
giving  them  add  to  or  diminish  from  that  subjection  we 
owe  to  them,  which  consists  in  obeying  their  just  and  law- 
ful commands,  not  in  titles  and  designations. 
Under  tho      Secondly,  We  find  not  that  in  the  scripture  any  such 
l^^peL^     titles  are  used,  either  under  the  law  or  the  gospel :  but  that 
in  the  speaking  to  kings,  princes,  or  nobles,  they  used  only 
a  simple  corapellation,  as  0  King!  and  that  without  any 
further  designation,  save  perhaps  the  name  of  the  person, 
as,  0  King  Agrippa,  &c. 
L]|ing  Thirdly,  It  lays  a  necessity  upon  Christians  most  fre- 

quently to  lie  ;  because  the  persons  obtaining  these  titles, 
either  by  election  or  hereditarily,  may  frequently  be  found 
to  have  nothing  really  in  them  deserving  them,  or  answer- 
ing to  them  :  as  some,  to  whom  it  is  said,  Your  Excellency, 
having  nothing  of  excellency  in  them ;  and  -he  who  is 
called.  Your  Grace,  appears  to  be  an  enemy  to  grace ;  and 
he  who  is  called.  Your  Honour,  is  known  to  be  base  and 
Patents  do  ignoble.  I  wonder  what  law  of  man,  or  what  patent  ought 
tTa^Me.^*  to  oblige  me  to  make  a  lie,  in  calling  good,  evil ;  and  evil, 
good  ?  I  wonder  what  law  of  man  can  secure  me,  in  so 
doing,  from  the  just  judgment  of  God,  that  will  make  me 
account  for  every  idle  word  ?  And  to  lie  is  something 
more.  Surely  Christians  should  be  ashamed  that  such 
laws,  manifestly  crossing  the  law  of  God,  should  be  among 
them. 

Object.        If  it  be  said,  We  ought  in  charity  to  suppose  that  they 


OF  SALUTATIONS  AND  RECREATIONS. 


have  these  virtues,  because  the  king  has  bestowed  those 
titles  upon  them,  or  that  they  are  descended  of  such  as 
deserved  them  ; 

I  answer,  Charity  destroys  not  knowledge :  I  am  not  Aws-w. 
obliged  by  charity,  either  to  believe  or  speak  a  lie.  Now 
it  is  apparent,  and  cannot  be  denied  by  any,  but  that  those 
virtues  are  not  in  many  of  the  persons  expressed  by  the 
titles  they  bear ;  neither  will  they  allow  to  speak  so  to 
such,  in  whom  these  virtues  are,  unless  they  be  so  digni- 
fied by  outward  princes.  So  that  such  as  are  truly  virtu- 
ous, must  not  be  styled  by  their  virtues,  because  not 
privileged  by  the  princes  of  this  world ;  and  such  as  have 
them  not,  must  be  so  called,  because  they  have  obtained  a 
patent  so  to  be :  and  all  this  is  done  by  those,  who  pre- 
tend to  be  his  followers,  that  commanded  his  disciples,  Not 
to  be  called  of  men,  Master;  and  told  them,  such  could 
not  believe,  as  received  honour  one  from  another,  and 
sought  not  the  honour  which  cometh  from  God  only.  This 
is  so  plain,  to  such  as  will  indeed  be  Christians,  that  it 
needs  no  consequence. 

Fourthly,  As  to  those  titles  of  Holiness,  Eminency  and  Youi  Holi- 
Excellency,  used  among  the  Papists  to  the  Pope  and  Car-  Craci  &!& 
dinals,  &c.,  and  Grace,  Lordship,  and  Worship,  used  to 
the  clergy  among  the  Protestants,  it  is  a  most  blasphemous 
usurpation.  For  if  they  use  Holiness  and  Grace,  because 
these  things  ought  to  be  in  a  Pope  or  in  a  Bishop,  how 
come  they  to  usurp  that  peculiarly  to  themselves.''  Ought 
not  holiness  and  grace  to  be  in  every  Christian  ?  And  so 
«very  Christian  should  say,  Your  Holiness,  and  Your 
Grace,  one  to  another.  Next,  how  can  they  in  reason 
claim  any  more  titles,  than  were  practised  and  received  by 
the  apostles  and  primitive  Christians,  whose  successors  they 
pretend  they  are,  and  as  whose  successors  (and  no  other- 
wise) themselves,  I  judge,  will  confess  any  honour  they 
seek,  is  due  to  them  ?  Now  if  they  neither  sought,  re- 
ceived, nor  admitted  such  honour  nor  titles,  how  came 
these  by  them?  If  they  say  they  did,  let  them  prove  it  if 
they  can  :  we  find  no  such  thing  in  the  scripture.  The 
41  3h 


482  PROPOSITION  XV. 

Christians  speak  to  the  apostles  without  any  such  deno> 
mination,  neither  saying,  If  it  please  Your  Grace,  Youi 
Holiness,  Your  Lordship,  nor  Your  Worship  ;  they  are 
neither  called.  My  Lord  Peter,  nor  My  Lord  Paul ;  nor 
yet  Master  Peter,  nor  Master  Paul ;  nor  Doctor  Peter,  nor 
Doctor  Paul ;  but  singly  Peter  and  Paul ;  and  that  not 
only  in  the  scripture,  but  for  some  hundreds  of  years  after: 
so  that  this  appears  to  be  a  manifest  fruit  of  the  apostasy. 
For  if  these  titles  arise  either  from  the  office  or  worth  of 
the  persons,  it  will  not  be  denied,  but  the  apostles  deserved 
them  better  than  any  now  that  call  for  them.  But  the  case 
is  plain,  the  apostles  had  the  holiness,  the  excellency,  the 
grace ;  and  because  they  were  holy,  excellent,  and  gra- 
cious, they  neither  used,  nor  admitted  of  such  titles  :  but 
Hypocrites  these  having  neither  holiness,  excellency,  nor  grace,  will 
want  tiiiei.  jjggjg  jjg  gQ  called,  to  satisfy  their  ambitious  and  ostenta- 
tious minds,  which  is  a  manifest  token  of  their  hypocrisy. 

Fifthly,  As  to  that  title  of  Majesty,  usually  ascribed  to 
princes,  we  do  not  find  it  given  to  any  such  in  the  holy 
scripture ;  but  that  it  is  specially  and  peculiarly  ascribed 
unto  God,  as  1  Chron.  xxix.  11;  Job  xxxvii.  22;  Psal. 
xxi.  5,  and  xxix.  4,  and  xlv.  3,  and  xciii.  1,  and  xcvi.  6; 
Isa.  ii.  10,  and  xxiv.  14,  and  xxvi.  10;  Heb.  i.  3;  2  Pet. 
i.  16,  and  many  more  places.  Hence  saith  Jude,  ver.  25, 
«  To  the  only  wise  God  our  Saviour,  be  glory  and  ma- 
jesty," &c.,  not  to  men.  We  find  in  scripture  the  proud 
king  Nebuchadnezzar  assuming  this  title  to  himself,  Dan. 
iv.  30,  who  at  that  time  received  a  sufficient  reproof,  by  a 
sudden  judgment  which  came  upon  him.  Therefore  in  all 
the  compellations  used  to  princes  in  the  Old  Testament,  it 
is  not  to  be  found,  nor  yet  in  the  New.  Paul  was  very 
civil  to  Agrippa,  yet  he  gives  him  no  such  title :  neither 
was  this  title  used  among  Christians  in  the  primitive  times. 
Hence  the  Ecclesiastical  History  of  the  Reformation  of 
France,  relating  the  speech  of  the  Lord  Rochefort,  at  the 
assembly  of  the  estates  of  France,  held  under  Charles  the 
Ninth,  in  the  year  1560,  saith,  That  this  harangue  was 
well  remarked,  in  that  he  used  not  the  word  Majesty,  in- 


OF  SALUTATIONS  AND  RECREATIONS. 


483 


vented  by  flatterers  of  late  years.    And  yet  this  author  licclea. 
minded  not  how  his  master  Calvin  used  this  flattering  title  [^4 'j,.  445 
to  Francis  the  First,  Kinjr  of  France  :  and  not  only  so,  l)ut  X*""' 

.    .     °  .        .  .  .  .       jesty  not 

calls  him  Most  Christian  King,  in  the  epistle  to  his  Institu-  used;  how 
tions ;  though  by  his  daily  persecuting  of  the  reformers,  it  [fce^ofln' 
was  apparent,  he  was  far  from  being  such,  even  in  Calvin's  '^s*^- 
own  esteem.    Surely  the  complying  with  such  vain  titles, 
imposed  and  introduced  by  anti-christ,  greatly  tended  to 
stain  the  reformation,  and  to  render  it  defective  in  many 
things. 

Lastly,  All  these  titles  and  styles  of  honour  are  to  be  re- 
jected by  Christians,  because  they  are  to  seek  the  honour  that 
comes  from  above,  and  not  the  honour  that  is  from  below : 
but  these  honours  are  not  that  honour  that  comes  from  above, 
but  are  from  below.    For  we  know  well  enough  what  in- 
dustry, and  what  pains  men  are  at  to  get  these  things,  and 
what  part  it  is  that  seeks  after  them,  to  wit,  the  proud,  in-  The  proud 
solent,  haughty,  aspiring  mind.    Forjudge,  Is  it  the  meek  I^/les. 
and  innocent  Spirit  of  Christ  that  covets  that  honour.''  Is 
it  that  Spirit  that  must  be  of  no  reputation  in  this  world, 
that  has  its  conversation  in  heaven,  that  comes  to  have 
fellowship  with  the  sons  of  God  }   Is  it  that  Spirit,  I  say,  Phil.  iii.  20 
that  loves  that  honour,  that  seeks  after  that  honour,  that 
pleads  for  the  upholding  of  that  honour,  that  frets,  and 
rages,  and  fumes,  when  it  is  denied  that  honour.'    Or  is  it 
not  rather  the  lordly  insulting  spirit  of  Lucifer,  the  prince  Lucifer'a 
of  this  world,  he  that  of  old  aflfected  and  sought  after  this  ^P'"'" 
honour,  and  loved   not  to  abide  in  the  submissive  low 
place  ?   And  so  all  his  children  are  possessed  with  the 
same  ambitious  proud  mind,  seeking  and  coveting  titles 
of  honour,  which  indeed  belong  not  to  them.    For  let  us 
examine,  *  Who  they  are  that  are  honourable  indeed  Is 
it  not  the  righteous  man.''   Is  it  not  the  holy  man?   Is  it  iSam. ii.Sfi 

♦Hierom,  in  his  epistle  to  Celant,  atlmonisheth  her,  That  she  was  to 
be  preferred  to  none  for  her  nobility,  for  the  Christian  religion  admits 
not  of  respeitt  of  persons ;  neither  are  men  to  be  esteemed  because  of 
their  outward  condition,  but  according  to  the  disposition  of  the  mind 
to  be  esteemed  either  noble  or  base;  he  that  obeyeth  not  sin,  is  free  • 
wiio  is  strong  ,n  ''irlue,  is  noble.     Let  the  Epistle  of  James  be  read. 


PROPOSITION  XV. 


not  the  humble-hearted  man,  the  meek-spirited  man  ?  And 
are  not  such  those  that  ought  to  be  honoured  among  Chris- 
tians ?  Now  of  these,  may  there  not  be  poor  men,  la- 
bourers, silly  fishermen  ?  And  if  so,  how  comes  it  that  the 
titles  of  honour  are  not  bestowed  upon  such  ?  But  who  are 
they  that  generally  receive  and  look  for  this  honour?  Are 
they  not  the  rich  ones,  such  as  have  abundance  of  the 
earth,  as  be  like  the  rich  glutton,  such  as  are  proud  and 
ambitious,  such  as  are  oppressors  of  the  poor,  such  as 
swell  with  lust  and  vanity,  and  all  superfluity  of  naughti- 
ness, who  are  the  very  abomination  and  plague  of  the 
nations?  Are  not  these  they  that  are  accounted  honourable, 
that  require  and  receive  the  titles  of  honour,  proud  Ha- 
mans?  Now  whether  i^  this  the  honour  that  comes  from 
God,  or  the  honoui  from  below  ?  Doth  God  honour  such 
as  daily  dishonour  him,  and  disobey  him  ?  And  if  this  be 
not  the  honour  that  comes  from  God,  but  the  honour  of 
this  world,  which  the  children  of  this  world  give  and  re- 
ceive one  from  another ;  how  can  the  children  of  God, 
such  as  are  Christians  indeed,  give  or  receive  that  honour 
among  themselves,  without  coming  under  the  reproof  of 
Christ,  who  saith,  that  such  as  do  cannot  believe  ?  But 
further,  if  we  respect  the  cause  that  most  frequently  pro- 
cures to  men  these  titles  of  honour,  there  is  not  one  of  a 
thousand  that  shall  be  found  to  be,  because  of  any  Chris- 
tian virtue ;  but  rather  for  things  to  be  discommended 
among  Christians :  as  by  the  favour  of  princes,  procured 
by  flattering,  and  often  by  worse  means.  Yea,  the  most 
frequent,  and  accounted  among  men  most  honourable,  is 
fighting,  or  some  great  martial  exploit,  which  can  add 
nothing  to  a  Christian's  worth  :  since,  sure  it  is,  it  were 
desirable  there  were  no  fightings  among  Christians  at  all ; 
and  in  so  far  as  there  are,  it  shows  they  are  not  right 
Christians.  And  James  tells  us,  that  fighting  proceeds 
from  the  lusts.  So  that  it  were  fitter  for  Christians,  by  the 
sword  of  God's  Spirit,  to  fight  against  their  lusts,  than  by 
the  prevalency  of  their  lusts  to  destroy  one  another.  What- 
ever honour  any  might  have  attained  of  old  under  the 


OF  SALUTATIONS  AND  RECREATIONS 


Law  this  way,  we  find  under  the  Gospel  Christians  com- 
ncended  for  suffering,  not  for  fighting ;  neither  did  any  of 
Christ's  disciples,  save  one,  offer  outward  violence  by  the 
sword,  in  cutting  off'Malchus's  ear;  for  which  he  received 
no  title  of  honour,  but  a  just  reproof.  Finally,  if  we  look 
either  to  the  nature  of  this  honour,  the  cause  of  it,  the 
ways  it  is  conveyed,  the  terms  in  which  it  is  delivered,  it 
cannot  be  used  by  such  as  desire  to  be  Christians  in  good 
earnest. 

§  IV.  Now  besides  these  general  titles  of  honour,  what 
gross  abuses  are  crept  in  among  such  as  are  called  Chris- 
tians in  the  use  of  compliments,  wherein  not  servants  to 
masters,  or  others,  with  respect  to  any  such  kind  of  relations, 
but  others  who  have  no  such  relation,  do  say  and  write  to  one 
;i  not  her,  at  every  turn.  Your  humble  servant.  Your  most  obe- 
dient servant,  &c.  Such  wicked  customs  have,  to  the  great 
prejudice  of  souls,  accustomed  Christians  to  lie  ;  and  to  use 
lying  is  now  come  to  be  accounted  civility.  0  horrid  apos- 
tasy!  for  it  is  notoriously  known,  that  the  use  of  these  com- 
pliments imports  not  any  design  of  service,  neither  are  any 
such  fools  as  to  think  so  :  for  if  we  should  put  them  to  it 
that  say  so,  they  would  not  doubt  to  think  we  abused  them  ; 
and  would  let  us  us  know  they  gave  us  words  in  course,  and 
no  more.  It  is  strange,  that  such  as  pretend  to  scripture  as 
their  rule  should  not  be  ashamed  to  use  such  things  ;  since 
Klihu,  who  had  not  the  scriptures,  could  by  the  Light 
within  him  (which  these  men  think  insufficient),  say.  Job 
xxxii.  21,  22:  "Let  me  not  accept  any  man's  person, 
neither  let  me  give  flattering  titles  unto  man.  For  I  know 
not  to  give  flattering  titles  ;  in  so  doing  my  Maker  would 
soon  take  me  away."  A  certain  ancient  devout  man,  in 
the  primitive  time,  subscribed  himself  to  a  bishop,  Your 
humble  servant;  wherein  I  doubt  not  but  he  was  more 
real  than  our  usual  complimenters  ;  and  yet  he  was  sharply 
reproved  for  it.* 

Tliis  liistory  is  reported  by  Casaubonus,  in  his  boolc  of  Manners 
hikI  Customs,  p.  160.  In  this  last  age  he  is  esteemed  an  uncivil  man, 
vvlio  will  not  eithei  to  his  inferior  or  equal  subscribe  himself  Servant 
But  Sulpitius  Severus  was  heretofore  sharply  reproved  by  Paulinus- 

41  • 


I8b 


PROPOSITION  XV. 


But  they  usually  object,  to  defend  themselves,  That 
Luke  saith.  Most  Excellent  Theophilus;  and  Paul,  Most 
Noble  Festus. 

I  answer ;  Since  Luke  wrote  that  by  the  dictates  of  the 
infallible  Spirit  of  God,  I  think  it  will  not  be  doubted  but 
Theophilus  did  deserve  it,  as  being  really  endued  with  that 
virtue :  in  which  case  we  shall  not  condemn  those  that  do 
it  by  the  same  rule.  But  it  is  not  proved  that  Luke  gave 
Theophilus  this  title,  as  that  which  was  inherent  to  him, 
either  by  his  father,  or  by  any  patent  Theophilus  had  ob- 
tained from  any  of  the  princes  of  the  earth ;  or  that  he 
would  have  given  it  him,  in  case  he  had  not  been  truly 
excellent ;  and  without  this  be  proved  (which  never  can), 
there  can  nothing  hence  be  deduced  against  us.  The  like 
Concerning  may  be  said  of  that  of  Paul  to  Festus,  whom  he  would 
Paul'gave  ""'^  have  called  such,  if  he  had  not  been  truly  noble  ;  as 
to  Festus.  indeed' he  was,  in  that  he  suffered  him  to  be  heard  in  his 
own  cause,  and  would  not  give  way  to  the  fury  of  the 
Jews  against  him  :  it  was  not  because  of  any  outward  title 
bestowed  upon  Festus,  that  he  so  called  him,  else  he  would 
have  given  the  same  appellation  to  his  predecessor,  Felix, 
who  had  the  same  office ;  but  being  a  covetous  man,  we 
find  he  gives  him  no  such  style. 
The  singu-  §  V.  It  will  not  be  unfit  in  this  place  to  say  something 
t"one"per-  concerning  the  using  of  the  singular  number  to  one  person ; 
son  used  in  of  this  there  is  no  controversy  in  the  Latin.  For  when  we 
speak  to  one,  we  always  use  the  pronoun  tu,  and  he  that 
would  do  otherwise,  would  break  the  rules  of  grammar. 
For  what  boy,  learning  his  rudiments,  is  ignoiant,  that  it 
is  incongruous  to  say  vos  amas,  vos  legis,  that  is,  you  lovesl, 
you  readest,  speaking  to  one  ?  But  the  pride  of  man,  that 
hath  corrupted  many  things,  refuses  also  to  use  this  sim- 
plicity of  speaking  in  the  vulgar  languages.  For  being 
puffed  up  with  a  vain  opinion  of  themselves,  as  if  the  singu- 

bishop  of  Nola,  because  in  his  epistle  he  had  subscribed  himself  his 
Servant,  saying,  "Beware  thou  subscribe  not  thyself  his  Servant,  who 
is  thy  Brother :  for  flattery  is  sinful,  not  a  testimony  of  humility  to  give 
those  honours  to  men,  which  are  only  due  to  the  One  Lord,  Master 
»nd  GOD." 


OF  SALUTATIONS  AND  RECREATIONS. 


487 


lar  number  were  not  sufficient  for  them,  they  will  have 
others  to  speak  to  them  in  the  plural.  Hence  Luther,  in 
his  plays,  reproves  and  mocks  this  manner  of  speaking, 
saying,  Magister,  vos  es  iratus :  which  corruption  Erasmus 
sufficiently  refutes  in  his  book  of  writing  epistles :  con- 
cerning which  likewise  James  Howel,  in  his  epistle  to  the 
nobility  of  England,  before  the  French  and  English  Dic- 
tionary, takes  notice,  "  That  both  in  France,  and  in  other 
nations,  the  word  thou  was  used  in  speaking  to  one ;  but 
by  succession  of  time,  when  the  Roman  commonwealth 
grew  into  an  empire,  the  courtiers  began  to  magnify  the 
emperor  (as  being  furnished  with  power  to  confer  dignities 
and  offices),  using  the  word  you,  yea,  and  deifying  him  How  the 

with  more  remarkable  titles;  concerning  which  matter,  we  ^°''^y<»» 

'  o  >        came  to  iia 

read  in  the  epistles  of  Symmachus  to  the  emperors  Theo-  used  to  a 

•  SttlfifiG  PCI " 

dosius  and  Valentinianus,  where  he  useth  these  forms  of  son. 
speaking,  Vestra  iEternitas,  Your  Eternity  ;  Vestrum  Nu- 
men,  Your  Godhead ;  Vestra  Serenitas,  Your  Serenity ; 
Vestra  Clementia,  Your  Clemency.  So  that  the  word  you 
in  the  plural  number,  together  with  the  other  titles  and 
compellations  of  honour,  seem  to  have  taken  their  rise 
from  monarchical  government ;  which  afterwards,  by  de- 
grees, came  to  be  derived  to  private  persons." 

The  same  is  witnessed  by  John  Maresius,  of  the  French 
academy,  in  the  preface  of  his  Clovis :  "  Let  none  won- 
der," saith  he,  <<  that  the  word  thou  is  used  in  this  work 
to  Princes  and  Prmcesses;  for  we  use  the  same  to  God: 
and  of  old  the  same  was  used  to  Alexanders,  Caesars, 
Queens  and  Empresses.  The  use  of  the  word  you,  when 
one  person  is  .spoken  to,  was  only  introduced  by  these 
base  flatterers  of  men  of  latter  ages,  to  whom  it  seemed 
good  to  use  the  plural  number  to  one  person,  that  he  may 
imagine  himself  alone  to  be  equal  to  many  others  in  dig- 
nity and  worth  ;  from  whence  at  last  it  came  to  persons  of 
lower  quality." 

To  the  same  purpose  speaketh  also  M.  Godeau,  in  his 
preface  to  the  New  Testament  translation  :  '<  I  had  rather," 
saith  lie,  "faithfully  keen  to  the  express  words  of  Paul, 


488 


PROPOSITION  XV. 


than  exactly  follow  the  polished  style  of  jur  tongue  ;  there- 
fore I  always  use  that  form  of  calling  God  in  the  singular 
number,  not  in  the  plural ;  and  therefore  I  say  rather  thou 
than  you.    I  confess  indeed,  that  the  civility  and  custom 
ot  this  world  requires  him  to  be  honoured  after  that  man- 
ner ;  but  it  is  likewise  on  the  contrary  true,  that  the  ori- 
ginal tongue  of  the  New  Testament  hath  nothing  common 
with  such  manners  and  civility  ;  so  that  not  one  of  these 
many  ohl  versions  we  have  doth  observe  it.    Let  not  men 
believe,  that  we  give  not  respect  enough  to  God,  in  that 
The  word   we  Call  him  by  the  word  thou,  which  is  nevertheless  far 
erMte^r      otherwise  ;  for  I  seem  to  myself  (may  be  by  the  effect  of 
honour  to    custom)  more  to  honour  his  Divine  Majesty,  in  calling 
yo„.         him  after  this  manner,  than  if  I  should  call  him  after  the 
manner  of  men,  who  are  so  delicate  in  their  forms  of 
speech." 

See  how  clearly  and  evidently  these  men  witness,  that 
this  form  of  speaking,  and  these  profane  titles,  derive  their 
origin  from  the  base  flattery  of  these  last  ages,  and  from 
the  delicate  haughtiness  of  worldly  men,  who  have  in- 
vented these  novelties,  that  thereby  they  might  honour 
one  another,  under  I  know  not  what  pretence  of  civility 
and  respect.  From  whence  many  of  the  present  Chris- 
tians (so  accounted)  are  become  so  perverse,  in  commend- 
ing most  wicked  men,  and  wicked  customs,  that  the  sim- 
plicity of  the  Gospel  is  wholly  lost ;  so  that  the  giving  of 
men  and  things  their  own  names  is  not  only  worn  out  of 
custom,  but  the  doing  thereof  is  accounted  absurd  and 
rude  by  such  kind  of  delicate  parasites,  who  desire  to 
ascribe  to  this  flattery  and  abuse,  the  name  of  civility. 
Moreover,  that  this  way  of  speaking  proceeds  from  a  high 
and  proud  mind,  hence  appears  ;  because  that  men  com- 
monly use  the  singular  number  to  beggars,  and  to  their 
servants  ;  yea,  and  in  their  prayers  to  God.  Thus  the 
superior  will  speak  to  his  inferior,  who  yet  will  not  bear 
that  the  inferior  so  speak  to  him,  as  judging  it  a  kind  of 
reproach  unto  him.  So  hath  the  pride  of  men  placed  God 
and  the  beggar  in  the  same  category.    I  think  I  need  not 


OF  SALUTATIONS  AND  RECREATIONS. 


4b9 


use  arguments  to  prove  to  such  as  know  congruous  lan- 
guage, that  wc  ought  to  use  the  singular  number  speaking 
to  one ;  which  is  the  conomon  dialect  of  the  whole  scrip- 
ture, as  also  the  most  interpreters  do  translate  it.  Seeing 
therefore  it  is  manifest  to  us,  that  this  form  of  speaking  to 
men  in  the  plural  number  doth  proceed  from  pride,  as 
well  as  that  it  is  in  itself  a  lie,  we  found  a  necessity  upon 
us  to  testify  against  this  corruption,  by  using  the  singular 
equally  unto  all.  And  although  no  reason  can  be  given 
why  we  should  be  persecuted  upon  this  account,  especially 
by  Christians,  who  profess  to  follow  the  rule  of  scripture,  Scripture 
whose  dialect  this  is  ;  yet  it  would  perhaps  seem  incredible  pJajrian^' 
if  I  should  relate  how  much  we  have  suffered  for  this  guage. 
thing,  and  how  these  proud  ones  have  fumed,  fretted,  and 
gnashed  their  teeth,  frequently  beating  and  striking  us, 
when  we  have  spoken  to  them  thus  in  the  singular  number  : 
whereby  we  are  the  more  confirmed  in  our  judgment,  as 
seeing  that  this  testimony  of  truth,  which  God  hath  given 
us  to  bear  in  all  things,  doth  so  vex  the  serpentine  nature 
in  the  children  of  darkness. 

§  VI.  Secondly,  Next  unto  this  of  titles,  the  other  part  Bowiiigto 
of  honour  used  among  Christians  is  the  kneeling,  bowing, 
and  uncovering  of  the  head  to  one  another.  I  know- 
nothing  our  adversaries  have  to  plead  for  them  in  this 
matter,  save  some  few  instances  of  the  Old  Testament,  and 
the  custom  of  the  country. 

The  first  are,  such  as  Abraham's  bowing  himself  to  the 
children  of  Heth,  and  Lot,  to  the  two  angels,  &c. 

But  the  practice  of  these  patriarchs,  related  as  matter 
of  fact,  is  not  to  be  a  rule  to  Christians  now  ;  neither  are 
we  to  imitate  them  in  every  practice,  which  has  not  a  par- 
ticular reproof  added  to  it:  for  we  find  not  Abraham  re- 
proved for  taking  Hagar,  &c.  And  indeed  to  say  all 
things  were  lawful  for  us  which  they  practised,  would  pro- 
duce great  inconveniences  obvious  enough  to  all.  And  The  cus- 
as  to  the  customs  of  the  nations,  it  is  a  very  ill  argument  naUons'no 

for  a  Christian's  practice  :  we  should  have  a  better  rule  to  ^i"'®."*. 

Christiani 

walk  by  than  the  custom  of  the  Gentiles  ;  the  apostle 

3if 


490 


PROPOSITION  XV. 


Rom.  ml,    desires  us  not  to  be  <<  conformed  to  this  world,"  &c.  We 

2.  .  . 

see  how  little  they  have  to  say  for  themselves  in  this  matter 
Let  it  be  observed  then,  whether  our  reasons  for  laying 
aside  these  things  be  not  considerable  and  weighty  enough 
to  uphold  us  in  so  doing. 

First,  We  say.  That  God,  who  is  the  creator  of  man, 
and  he  to  whom  he  oweth  the  dedication  both  of  soul  and 
body,  is  over  all  to  be  worshipped  and  adored,  and  that 
not  only  by  the  spirit,  but  also  with  the  prostration  of  body. 
Bowing  is  Now  kneeling,  bowing,  and  uncovering  of  the  head,  is 
*nd"is^'nly  the  alone  outward  signification  of  our  adoration  towards 
duo  to  God.  ^jjJ  therefore  it  is  not  lawful  to  give  it  unto  man.  He 
that  kneeleth,  or  prostrates  himself  to  man,  what  doth  he 
more  to  God  .''  He  that  boweth,  and  uncovereth  his  head 
to  the  creature,  what  hath  he  reserved  to  the  Creator.-' 
Now  the  apostle  shows  us,  that  the  uncovering  of  the  head 
is  that  which  God  requires  of  us  in  our  worshipping  of 
him,  1  Cor.  xi.  4.  But  if  we  make  our  address  to  men  in 
'he  same  manner,  where  lieth  the  difference  Not  in  the 
outward  signification,  but  merely  in  the  intention  ;  which 
opens  a  door  for  the  popish  veneration  of  images,  which 
hereby  is  necessarily  excluded. 

Secondly,  Men  being  alike  by  creation,  though  their 
being  stated  under  their  several  relations  requires  from 
them  mutual  services  according  to  those  respective  rela- 
tions, owe  not  worship  one  to  another,  but  all  equally  are 
to  return  it  to  God :  because  it  is  to  him,  and  his  name 
alone,  that  every  knee  must  bow,  and  before  whose  throne 
the  four  and  twenty  elders  prostrate  themselves.  There- 
fore for  men  to  take  this  one  from  another,  is  to  rob  God 
of  his  glory  :  since  all  the  duties  of  relations  may  be  per- 
formed one  to  another  without  these  kind  of  bowings, 
which  therefore  are  no  essential  part  of  our  duty  to  man, 
but  to  God.  All  men,  by  an  inward  instinct,  in  all  nations 
have  been  led  to  prostrate  and  bow  themselves  to  God. 
And  it  is  plain  that  this  bowing  to  men  took  place  from  a 
slavish  fear  possessing  some,  which  led  them  to  set  up 
others  as  god.*- :  when  also  an  ambitious  proud  spirit  got 


OF  SALUTATIONS  AND  RECREATIONS. 


491 


up  in  those  others,  to  usurp  the  place  of  God  over  dieir 
brethren. 

Thirdly,  We  see  that  Peter  refused  it  from  Cornelius, 
saying.  He  was  a  man.    Are  then  the  popes  more,  or  more 
excellent  than  Peter,  who  suffer  men  daily  to  fall  down  at 
their  feet,  and  kiss  them?    This  reproof  of  Peter  to  Cor-  Pererand 
nelius  doth  abundantly  show,  that  such  manners  were  not  refusef^' 
to  be  admitted  among  Christians.    Yea,  we  see,  that  the  bowing, 
angel  twice  refused  this  kind  of  bowing  from  John,  Rev. 
xix.  10,  and  xxii.  9,  for  this  reason,  "  Because  I  am  thy 
fellow-servant,  and  of  thy  brethren  ;"  abundantly  intimat- 
ing that  it  is  not  lawful  for  fellow-servants  thus  to  prostrate 
themselves  one  to  another :  and  in  this  respect  all  men  are 
fellow-servants. 

If  it  be  said,  John  intended  here  a  religious  worship.  Object. 
and  not  a  civil : 

I  answer ;  This  is  to  say,  not  to  prove :  neither  can  we  Answ. 
suppose  John,  at  that  time  of  the  day,  so  ill-instructed  as 
not  to  know  it  was  unlawful  to  worship  angels ;  only  it 
should  seem,  because  of  those  great  and  mysterious  things 
revealed  to  him  by  that  angel,  he  was  willing  to  signify 
some  more  than  ordinary  testimony  of  respect,  for  which 
he  was  reproved.  These  things  being  thus  considered,  it 
is  remitted  to  the  judgment  of  such  as  are  desirous  to  be 
found  Christians  indeed,  whether  we  are  worthy  of  blame 
for  waving  it  to  men.  Let  those  then  that  will  blame  us 
consider  whether  they  might  not  as  well  accuse  Mordecai 
of  incivility,  who  was  no  less  singular  than  we  in  this  mat- 
ter. And  forasmuch  as  they  accuse  us  herein  of  rudeness  To  forbeai 
and  pii'Je,  though  the  testimony  of  our  consciences  in  the  m°an''i?no 

sijjht  of  God  be  a  sufficient  eruard  aeainst  such  calumnies,  '"c'vility, 
°  DO  J  fioi  pride, 

yet  there  are  of  us  known  to  be  men  of  such  education,  as  nor  rude 
forbear  not  these  things  for  want  of  that  they  call  goo  J  ""^^ 
breeding ;  and  we  should  be  very  void  of  reason,  to  pur- 
chase that  pride  at  so  dear  a  rate,  as  many  have  done  the 
exercise  of  their  conscience  in  this  matter ;  many  of  us 
havmg  been  sorely  beaten  and  buffeted,  yea,  and  several 
months  imprisoned,  for  no  other  reason  but  because  we 


493 


PROPOSITION  XV. 


4pparel  in 
its  vanity 
and  super- 
fluity dis- 
allowed. 


could  not  SO  satisfy  the  proud  unreasonable  humours  of 
proud  men,  as  to  uncover  our  heads,  and  bow  our  bodies. 
Nor  doth  our  innocent  practice,  in  standing  still,  though 
upright,  not  putting  off"  our  hats,  any  more  than  our  shoes, 
the  one  being  the  covering  of  our  heads,  as  well  as  the 
other  of  our  feet,  show  so  much  rudeness,  as  their  beating 
and  knocking  us,  &c.,  because  we  cannot  bow  to  them_ 
!ontrary  to  our  consciences :  which  certainly  shows  less 
meekness  and  humility  upon  their  part,  than  it  doth  of 
rudeness  or  pride  upon  ours.  Now  suppose  it  were  our 
weakness,  and  we  really  under  a  mistake  in  this  thing, 
since  it  is  not  alleged  to  be  the  breach  of  any  Christian 
precept,  are  we  not  to  be  indulged,  as  the  apostle  com- 
manded should  be  done  to  such  as  scrupled  to  eat  flesh  ? 
And  do  not  persecuting  and  reviling  us  upon  this  account 
show  them  to  be  more  like  unto  proud  Haman,  than  the 
disciples  or  followers  of  the  meek,  self-denying  Jesus.' 
And  this  I  can  say  boldly,  in  the  sight  of  God,  from  my 
own  experience,  and  that  of  many  thousands  more,  that 
however  small  or  foolish  this  may  seem,  yet  we  behoved 
to  choose  death  rather  than  do  it,  and  that  for  conscience' 
sake :  and  that  in  its  being  so  contrary  to  our  natural 
spirits,  there  are  many  of  us,  to  whom  the  forsaking  of 
these  bowings  and  ceremonies  was  as  death  itself;  which 
we  could  never  have  left,  if  we  could  have  enjoyed  our 
peace  with  God  in  the  use  of  them.  Though  it  be  far  from 
us  to  judge  all  those  to  whom  God  hath  not  shown  the  evil 
of  them  under  the  like  hazard  ;  yet  nevertheless  we  doubt 
not  but  to  such  as  would  prove  faithful  witnesses  to 
Christ's  divine  light  in  their  consciences,  God  will  also 
show  the  evil  of  these  things. 

§  VII.  The  third  thing  to  be  treated  of,  is  the  vanity 
and  superfluity  of  apparel.  In  which,  first,  two  things  are 
to  be  considered,  the  condition  of  the  person,  and  tht 
country  he  lives  in.  We  shall  not  say  that  all  persons  are 
to  be  clothed  alike,  because  it  will  perhaps  neither  suit 
their  bodies  nor  their  estates.  And  if  a  man  be  clothed 
soberly,  and  without  superfluity,  though  they  may  be  finei 


OF  SALUTATIONS  AND  KKCK NATIONS. 


m 


than  that  which  his  servant  is  clothed  with,  we  shall  not 
blame  hini  for 't :  the  abstaining  from  superfluities,  which 
his  condition  anj  education  have  accustomed  him  to,  may 
be  in  him  a  greater  act  of  mortification  than  the  abstaining 
from  finer  clothes  in  the  servant,  who  never  was  accustomed 
to  them.  As  to  the  country,  what  it  naturally  produces 
may  be  no  vanity  to  the  inhabitants  to  use,  or  what  is  com- 
monly imparted  to  them  by  way  of  exchange,  seeing  it  is 
without  doubt  that  the  creation  is  for  the  use  of  man.  So 
where  silk  abounds,  it  may  be  worn  as  well  as  wool ;  and 
were  we  in  those  countries,  or  near  unto  them,  where  gold 
or  silver  were  as  common  as  iron  or  brass,  the  one  might 
be  used  as  well  as  the  other.  The  iniquity  lies  then  here, 
First,  When  from  a  lust  of  vanity,  and  a  desire  to  adorn 
themselves,  men  and  women,  not  content  with  what  their 
condition  can  bear,  or  their  country  easily  affords,  do 
stretch  to  have  things,  that  from  their  rarity,  and  the  price 
that  is  put  upon  them,  seem  to  be  precious,  and  so  feed 
their  lust  the  more ;  and  this  all  sober  men  of  all  sorts  will 
readily  grant  to  be  evil. 

Secondly,  When  men  are  not  content  to  make  a  true 
use  of  the  creation,  whether  the  things  be  fine  or  coarse, 
and  do  not  satisfy  themselves  with  what  need  and  con- 
veniency  call  for,  but  add  thereunto  things  merely  super- 
fluous, such  as  is  the  use  of  ribbands  and  lace,  and  much 
more  of  that  kind  of  stuff,  as  painting  the  face,  and  plaiting 
the  hair,  which  are  the  fruits  of  the  fallen,  lustful,  and 
corrupt  nature,  and  not  of  the  new  creation,  as  all  will 
acknowledge.  And  though  sober  men  among  all  sorts 
will  say,  that  it  were  better  these  things  were  not,  yet  will 
they  not  reckon  them  unlawful,  and  therefore  do  admit  the 
use  of  thern  among  their  church  members :  but  we  do  ac- 
count them  altogether  unlawful,  and  unsuitable  to  Chris- 
tians, and  that  for  these  reasons: 

First,  The  use  of  clothes  came  originally  from  the  fall.  Thepropei 
If  man  had  not  fallen,  it  appears  he  would  not  have  needed  "fothet. 
them  ;  but  this  miserable  state  made  them  necessary  in  two 
respects :  1.  To  cover  his  nakedness ;  2.  To  keep  him  from 
42 


494 


PROPOSITION  XV. 


the  cold;  which  aie  both  the  proper  and  principal  use  ol 
them.  Now  for  man  to  delight  himself  in  that  which  is 
the  fruit  of  his  iniquity,  and  the  consequence  of  his  sin, 
can  be  no  ways  lawful  for  him  :  so  to  extend  things  beyond 
their  real  use,  or  to  superadd  things  wholly  superfluous,  is 
a  manifest  abuse  of  the  creation,  and  therefore  not  lawful 
to  Christians. 

Secondly,  Those  that  will  needs  so  adorn  themselves  in 
the  use  of  their  clothes,  as  to  beset  them  with  things  hav- 
ing no  real  use  or  necessity,  but  merely  for  ornament  sake. 
Not  to       do  openly  declare,  that  the  end  of  h  is  either  to  please  their 
fiists.^  '''^"^  ^^^'^j  ^'^^  which  end  these  things  are  chiefly  invented  and 
contrived,  or  otherwise  to  gratify  a  vain,  proud,  and 
ostentatious  mind ;  and  it  is  obvious  these  are  their  gen- 
eral ends  in  so  doing.    Yea,  we  see  how  easily  men  are 
puffed  up  with  their  garments,  and  how  proud  and  vain 
they  are,  when  adorned  to  their  mind.   Now  how  far  these 
things  are  below  a  true  Christian,  and  how  unsuitable, 
needs  very  little  proof.    Hereby  those  who  love  to  be 
gaudy  and  superfluous  in  their  clothes,  show  they  concern 
themselves  little  with  mortification  and  self-denial,  and  that 
they  study  to  beautify  their  bodies  more  than  their  souls  ; 
which  prove  they  think  little  upon  mortality,  and  so  cer 
tainly  are  inore  nominal  than  real  Christians. 
Contrary  to     Thirdly,  The  scripture  severely  reproves  such  practices, 
•criptuie.    both  commending  and  commanding  the  contrary;  as  Isa. 

iii.,  how  severely  doth  the  prophet  reprove  the  daughters 
of  Israel  for  their  tinkling  ornaments,  their  cauls,  and  their 
round  tires,  their  chains  and  bracelets,  &c.,  and  yet  is  it 
not  .strange  to  see  Christians  allow  themselves  in  these 
things,  from  whom  a  more  strict  and  exemplary  conveisa- 
tion  is  required  .''  Christ  desires  us  not  to  be  anxious  about 
our  clothing,  Mat.  vi.  25,  and  to  show  the  vanity  of  such 
as  glory  in  the  splendour  of  their  clothing,  tells  them.  That 
even  Solomon,  in  all  his  glory,  was  not  to  be  compared  to 
the  lily  of  the  field,  which  to-day  is,  and  to-morrow  is  cast 
into  the  oven.  But  surely  they  make  small  reckoning  of 
Christ's  words  and  doctrine  that  are  so  curious  in  thei/ 


OF  SALUTATIONS  AND  RFXREATIONS. 


495 


clothing,  and  so  industrious  to  deck  tliemselves,  and  so 
earnest  to  justify  it,  and  so  enraged  when  they  are  reproved 
for  it.  The  apostle  Paul  is  very  positive  in  this  respect, 
1  Tim.  ii.  9,  10,  "  I  will  therefore  in  like  manner  also  that 
women  adorn  themselves  in  modest  apparel,  with  shame- 
facedness  and  sobriety,  and  not  with  broidered  hair,  or 
gold,  or  pearls,  or  costly  array,  but  (which  becometh 
women  professing  godliness)  with  good  works."  To  the 
same  purpose  saith  Peter,  1  Pet.  iii.  3,  4,  "Whose  adorn- 
ing let  it  not  be  that  outward  adorning  of  plaiting  the  hair, 
and  wearing  of  gold,  or  of  putting  on  of  apparel ;  but  let 
it  be  the  hidden  man  of  the  heart,  in  that  which  is  not  cor- 
ruptible, even  the  ornament  of  a  meek  and  quiet  spirit," 
&c.  Here  both  the  apostles  do  very  positively  and  ex- 
pressly assert  two  things.  First,  That  the  adorning  of 
Christian  women  (of  whom  it  is  particularly  spoken,  I 
judge,  because  this  sex  is  most  naturally  inclined  to  that 
vanity,  and  that  it  seems  that  Christian  men  in  those  days 
deserved  not  in  this  respect  so  much  to  be  reproved) 
ought  not  to  be  outward,  nor  consist  in  the  apparel.  Se- 
condly, That  they  ought  not  to  use  the  plaiting  of  the  hair.  Plaiting  ib« 
or  ornaments,  &c.,  which  was  at  that  time  the  custom  of 
the  nations.  But  is  it  not  strange,  that  such  as  make  the 
scripture  their  rule,  and  pretend  they  are  guided  by  it, 
should  not  only  be  so  generally  in  the  use  of  these  things, 
which  the  scripture  so  plainly  condemns,  but  also  should 
attempt  to  justify  themselves  in  so  doing  ?  For  the  apostles 
not  only  commend  the  forbearance  of  these  things,  as  an 
attainment  commendable  in  Christians,  but  condemn  the 
use  of  them  as  unlawful ;  and  yet  may  it  not  seem  more 
litrange,  that  in  contradiction  to  the  apostles'  doctrine,  as 
if  they  had  resolved  to  slight  their  testimony,  they  should 
condemn  those  that  out  of  conscience  apply  themselves 
seriously  to  follow  it,  as  if  in  so  doing  they  were  singular, 
proud,  or  superstitious?  This  certainly  betokens  a  sad 
apostasy  in  those  that  will  be  accounted  Christians,  that 
they  are  so  offended  with  those  who  love  to  follow  Christ 
and  his  apostles,  in  denying  of,  and  departing  from,  the 


496 


PROPOSITION  XV. 


lying  vanities  of  this  perishing  world ;  and  so  doth  inucn 
evidence  their  affinity  with  those  who  hate  to  be  reproved, 
and  neither  will  enter  themsehes,  nor  suffer  those  that 
would. 

Sports,  §  VIII.  Fourthly,  Let  us  consider  the  use  of  games, 

^*te'nt"w^th  sports,  coiTiedies,  and  other  such  things,  commonly  and 
the  gospel,  indifferently  used  by  all  the  several  sorts  of  Christians, 
under  the  notion  of  divertisement  and  recreation,  and  see 
whether  these  things  can  consist  with  the  seriousness, 
gravity,  and  Godly  fear,  which  the  gospel  calls  for.  Let 
us  but  view  and  look  over  the  notions  of  them  that  cal\ 
themselves  Christians,  whether  Papists  or  Protestants,  and 
see  if  generally  there  be  any  difference,  save  in  mere  name 
and  profession,  from  the  heathen  ?  Doth  not  the  same 
folly,  the  same  vanity,  the  same  abuse  of  precious  and 
irrevocable  time  abound?  The  same  gaming,  sporting, 
playing,  and  from  thence  quarrelling,  fighting,  swearing, 
ranting^,  revellina:  ?  Now  how  can  these  things  be  reme- 
died,  so  long  as  the  preachers  and  professors,  and  those 
who  are  the  leaders  of  the  people,  do  allow  these  things, 
and  account  them  not  inconsistent  with  the  profession  of 
Christianity  ?  And  it  is  strange  to  see  that  these  things 
are  tolerated  every  where  ;  the  inquisition  lays  no  hold  on 
them,  neither  at  Rome,  nor  in  Spain,  where  in  their  mas- 
querades all  manner  of  obscenity,  folly,  yea,  and  Atheism 
is  generally  practised  in  the  face  of  the  world,  to  the  great 
scandal  of  the  Christian  name  ;  but  if  any  man  reprove 
them  in  these  things,  and  forsake  their  superstitions,  and 
come  seriously  to  serve  God,  and  worship  him  in  the 
Spirit,  he  becomes  their  prey,  and  is  immediately  exposed 
to  cruel  sufferings.  Doth  this  bear  any  relation  to  Chris- 
tianity ?  Do  these  things  look  any  thing  like  the  churches 
of  the  primitive  Christians Surely  not  at  all.  I  shall 
first  cite  some  few  scripture  testimonies,  being  very  posi- 
tive precepts  to  Christians,  and  then  see  whether  such  as 
obey  them  can  admit  of  these  forementioned  things.  Thf 
apostle  commands  us.  That  "  whether  we  eat  or  drink,  o; 
whatever  we  do,  we  do  it  all  to  the  glory  of  God."  But 


OF  SALUTATIONS  AND  RECREATIONS. 


497 


I  judge  none  will  be  so  impudent  as  to  affirm,  That  in  the 
use  of  these  sports  and  games  God  is  glorified :  if  any  By  spon* 
should  so  say,  they  would  declare  they  neither  knew  God  q^/^'^^. 
nor  his  glory.  And  experience  abundantly  proves,  that  in  glorified 
the  practice  of  these  things  men  mind  nothing  less  than 
the  glory  of  God,  and  nothing  more  than  the  satisfaction 
of  their  own  carnal  lusts,  wills,  and  appetites.  The  apos- 
tle desires  us,  1  Cor.  vii.  29,  31  :  Because  the  time  is 
short,  that  they  that  buy  should  be  as  though  they  possess- 
ed not ;  and  they  that  use  this  world,  as  not  abusing  it,  &.c. 
But  how  can  they  be  found  in  the  obedience  of  this  pre- 
cept that  plead  for  the  use  of  these  games  and  sports,  who, 
it  seems,  think  the  time  so  long,  that  they  cannot  find 
occasion  enough  to  employ  it,  neither  in  taking  care  for  their 
souls,  nor  yet  in  the  necessary  care  for  their  bodies ;  but 
invent  these  games  and  sports  to  pass  it  away,  as  if  they 
\s  anted  other  work  to  serve  God  in,  or  be  useful  to  the 
creation.''  The  apostle  Peter  desires  us,  "To  pass  the 
time  of  our  sojourning  here  in  fear,"  1  Pet.  i.  17.  But 
will  any  say.  That  such  as  use  dancing  and  comedies,  card- 
ing and  dicing,  do  so  much  as  mind  this  precept  in  the 
use  of  these  things  ?  Where  there  is  nothing  to  be  seen 
but  lightness  and  vanity,  wantonness  a:id  obscenity,  con- 
trived to  draw  men  from  the  fear  o(  God,  and  there- 
fore no  doubt  calculated  for  the  service  of  the  devil.  There 
is  no  duty  more  frequently  commanded,  nor  more  incum- 
bent upon  Christians,  than  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  to  stand 
in  awe  before  him,  to  walk  as  in  his  presence  ;  but  if  such 
as  use  these  games  and  sports  will  speak  from  their  con- 
sciences, they  can,  I  doubt  not,  experimentally  declare, 
that  this  fear  is  forgotten  in  their  gaming ;  and  if  God  by 
his  light  secretly  touch  them,  or  mind  them  of  the  vanity 
of  their  way,  they  strive  to  shut  it  out,  and  use  their  gaming 
as  an  engine  to  put  away  from  them  that  troublesome  guest , 
and  thus  make  merry  over  the  Just  One,  whom  they  have 
slain  and  crucified  in  themselves.  But  further,  if  Christ's 
reasoning  be  to  be  heeded,  who  saith,  Matt.  xii.  35,  36: 
That  "  the  good  man,  out-of  the  good  treasure  of  the  heart. 
42*  3w 


4d8 


PROPOSITION  XV. 


bringetli  fortli  good  things  ;  and  an  evil  man,  out  of  the 
evil  treasure,  bringelh  forth  evil  things,'*  and  that  "  of 
every  idle  word  we  shall  give  an  account  in  the  day  of 
judgment,"  it  may  be  easily  gathered  from  what  treasure 
these  inventions  come ;  and  it  may  be  easily  proved,  that 
it  is  from  the  evil,  and  not  the  good.  How  many  idle 
words  do  they  necessarily  produce  }  Yea,  what  are  come- 
Comediesa  dies  but  a  Studied  complex  of  idle  and  lying  words .''  Let 
eompiex  of         that  believe  their  souls  are  immortal,  and  that  there 

idle  lying  ,^,\\]  jjg  ^  jgy  of  judgment,  in  which  these  words  of  Christ 
words.  J       J     o  J 

will  be  accomplished,  answer  me,  how  all  these  will  make 

account  in  that  great  and  terrible  day,  of  all  these  idle 
words  that  are  necessarily  made  use  of  about  dancing, 
gaming,  carding,  and  comedies  acting.''  And  yet  how  is 
it  that  by  Christians  not  condemning  these  things,  but 
allowing  of  them,  many  that  are  accounted  Christians  take 
up  their  whole  time  in  them,  yea,  make  it  their  trade  and 
employment  .•'  Such  as  the  dancing-masters  and  come- 
dians, &c.,  whose  hellish  conversations  do  sufficiently  de- 
clare what  master  they  serve,  and  to  what  end  these  things 
contribute.  And  it  cannot  be  denied,  as  being  obviously 
manifest  by  experience,  that  such  as  are  masters  of  these 
occupations,  and  are  most  delighted  in  them,  if  they  be 
not  open  Atheists  and  profligates,  are  such  at  best  as  make 
religion  or  the  care  of  their  souls  their  least  business.  Now 
if  these  things  were  discountenanced  by  Christians,  as  in- 
consistent with  their  profession,  it  would  remove  these 
thinars :  for  these  wretches  would  be  necessitated  then  to 
betake  themselves  to  some  honest  livelihood,  if  they  were 
not  fed  and  upholden  by  these.  And  as  hereby  a  great 
scandal  and  stumbling-block  would  be  removed  from  off 
the  Christian  name,  so  also  would  that  in  part  be  taken 
out  of  the  way  which  provokes  the  Lord  to  withhold  his 
blessing,  and  by  occasion  of  which  things  the  minds  of 
many  remain  chained  in  darkness,  and  drowned  in  lust, 
sensuality,  and  worldly  pleasures,  without  any  sense  of 
God's  fear,  or  their  own  souls'  salvation.  Many  of  those 
■tailed  fathers  of  the  church,  and  other  serious  po^sons, 


OF  SALUTATIONS  AND  RECREATIONS. 


49S 


liave  signified  their  regret  for  these  things,  and  their  desires 
they  might  be  remedied  ;  of  whom  many  citations  might 
be  alleged,  which  for  brevity's  sake  I  have  omitted. 

§  IX.  But  they  object,  That  men's  spirits  could  not  Object. 
subsist,  if  they  were  always  intent  upon  serious  and  spi- 
ritual matters,  and  that  therefore  there  is  need  of  some 
divertisement  to  recreate  the  mind  a  little,  whereby  it  being 
refreshed,  is  able  with  greater  vigour  to  apply  itself  to  these 
things. 

I  answer;  Though  all  this  were  granted,  it  would  no  Answ. 

ways  militate  against  us,  neither  plead  the  use  of  these 

things,  which  we  would  have  wholly  laid  aside.    For  that 

men  should  be  always  in  the  same  intentiveness  of  mind, 

we  do  not  plead,  knowing  how  impossible  it  is,  so  long  as 

we  are  clothed  with  this  tabernacle  of  clay.    But  this  will 

not  allow  us  at  any  time  so  to  recede  from  the  remembrance 

of  God,  and  of  our  souls'  chief  concern,  as  not  still  to 

retain  a  certain  sense  of  his  fear;  which  cannot  be  so  The  fear  of 

much  as  rationally  supposed  to  be  in  the  use  of  these  things  ^s^relfrea 

which  we  condemn.    Now  the  necessary  occasions  in  "on,'"  'he 

wot  Id. 

which  all  are  involved,  in  order  to  the  care  and  sustenta- 
lion  of  the  outward  man,  are  a  relaxation  of  the  mind  from 
the  more  serious  duties ;  and  those  are  performed  in  the 
blessing,  as  the  mind  is  so  leavened  with  the  love  of  God, 
and  the  sense  of  his  presence,  that  even  in  doing  these 
things  the  soul  carrieth  with  it  that  divine  influence  and 
spiritual  habit,  whereby,  though  these  acts,  as  of  eating, 
drinking,  sleeping,  working,  be  upon  the  matter  one  with 
what  the  wicked  do,  yet  they  are  done  in  another  spirit ;  and 
in  doing  of  them  we  please  the  Lord,  serve  him,  and 
answer  our  end  in  the  creation,  and  so  feel  and  are  sen- 
sible of  his  blessing  :  whereas  the  wicked  and  profane, 
being  not  come  to  this  place,  are  in  whatsoever  they  do, 
cursed,  and  their  ploughing  as  well  as  praying  is  sin. 
Now  if  any  will  plead,  that  for  relaxation  of  mind,  there 
may  be  a  liberty  allowed  beyond  these  things,  which  are 
of  alisolute  need  to  the  sustenance  of  the  outward  man,  I 
shall  not  much  conter.d  against  it ;  provided  these  things 


500 


PROPOSITION  XV. 


be  not  such  as  are  wholly  superfluous,  or  in  their  propei 
ndture  and  tendency  lead  the  mind  into  lust,  vanity,  and 
wantonness,  as  being  chiefly  contrived  and  framed  for  that 
end,  or  generally  experienced  to  produce  these  effects,  or 
being  the  common  engines  of  such  as  are  so  minded  to 
feed  one  another  therein,  and  to  propagate  their  wicked- 
ness, to  the  impoisoning  of  others ;  seeing  there  are  G*her 
lAwful  di-  innocent  divertisements  which  may  sufficiently  serve  for 
mtnta.  relaxation  of  the  mind,  such  as  for  friends  to  visit  one  an- 
other ;  to  hear  or  read  history  ;  to  speak  soberly  of  the 
present  or  past  transactions  ;  to  follow  after  gardening;  to 
use  geometrical  and  mathematical  experiments,  and  such 
other  things  of  this  nature.  In  all  which  things  we  are 
not  so  to  forget  God,  in  whom  we  both  live  and  are  moved, 
Acts  xvii.  28,  as  not  to  have  always  some  secret  reserve 
to  him,  and  sense  of  his  fear  and  presence ;  which  also 
frequently  exerts  itself  in  the  midst  of  these  things  by 
some  short  aspiration  and  breathings.  And  that  this  may 
neither  seem  strange  nor  troublesome,  I  shall  clear  it  by 
one  manifest  instance,  answerable  to  the  experience  of  all 
men.  It  will  not  be  denied  but  that  men  ought  to  be  more 
in  the  love  of  God  than  of  any  other  thing ;  for  we  ought 
to  love  God  above  all  things.  Now  it  is  plain,  that  men 
that  are  taken  with  love,  whether  it  be  of  a  woman,  or  of 
any  other  thing,  if  it  hath  taken  a  deep  place  in  the  heart, 
and  possess  the  mind,  it  will  be  hard  for  the  man  so  in  love 
to  drive  out  of  his  mind  the  person  or  thing  so  loved; 
yea,  in  his  eating,  drinking,  and  sleeping,  his  mind  will 
always  have  a  tendency  that  way  ;  and  in  business  or  re- 
creations, however  intent  he  be  in  it,  there  will  but  a  very 
short  time  be  permitted  to  pass,  but  the  mind  will  let  some 
The  love  ejaculation  forth  towards  its  beloved.  And  albeit  such  a 
towards  it?        mnst  be  conversant  in  those  things  that  the  care  of  this 

oeloved  _  =>  _ 

ahuns  ile     body  and  such  like  things  call  for ;  yet  will  he  avoid  as 
0  en(c.      jj^aji^  itself  to  do  those  things  that  may  offend  the  party  so 
beloved,  or  cross  his  design  in  obtaining  the  thing  so  ear- 
nestly desired :  though  there  may  be  some  small  use  in 
them,  the  great  design,  which  is  chiefly  in  his  eye,  will  so 


OF  SAI^UTATIONS  AND  RECREATIONS. 


501 


balance  him,  that  he  will  easily  look  over  and  (ri,sj)en.'fl 
with  such  petty  necessities,  rather  than  endanger  the  loss 
of"  the  greater  by  them.  Now  that  men  ought  to  bt  thus 
in  love  with  God,  and  the  life  to  come,  none  will  deny  ; 
and  the  thing  is  apparent  from  these  scriptures,  Mat.  vi. 
20,  "  But  lay  up  for  yourselves  treasures  in  heaven."  Col. 
iii.  2,  "Set  your  affection  on  things  above,"  &c.  And 
that  this  hath  been  the  experience  and  attainment  of 
some,  the  scripture  also  declares,  Psalm  Ixiii.  1,  8  ;  2  Cor. 
V.  4 

And  again.  That  these  games,  sports,  plays,  dancing,  Sports  and 
comedies,  &c.,  do  naturally  tend  to  draw  men  from  God's  ^en^f^m^ 
fear,  to  make  them  forget  heaven,  death,  and  judgment,  to  ihe^fearof 
foster  lust,  vanity,  and  wantonness,  and  therefore  are  most 
loved,  as  well  as  used,  by  such  kind  of  persons,  expe- 
rience abundantly  shows,  and  the  most  serious  and  con- 
scientious among  all  will  scarcely  deny  ;  which  if  it  be  so, 
the  application  is  easy. 

§  X.  Fifthly,  The  use  of  swearing  is  to  be  considered, 
which  is  so  frequently  practised  almost  among  all  Chris- 
tians; not  only  profane  oaths  among  the  profane,  in  their 
common  discourses,  whereby  the  most  holy  name  of 
God  is  in  a  horrible  manner  daily  blasphemed  ;  but  also 
solemn  oaths,  with  those  that  have  some  show  of  piety, 
whereof  the  most  part  do  defend  swearing  before  the  magis- 
trate with  so  great  zeal,  that  not  only  they  are  ready  them- 
selves to  do  it  upon  every  occasion,  but  also  have  stirred 
up  the  magistrates  to  persecute  those,  who,  out  of  obe- 
dience to  Christ,  their  Lord  and  master,  judge  it  unlawful 
to  swear;  upon  which  account  not  a  few  have  suffered  im- 
prisonment, and  the  spoiling  of  their  goods. 

But  considering  these  clear  words  of  our  Saviour,  Mat,  All  sutu 
V.  33,  34,  "  Again,  ye  have  heard  that  it  hath  been  said  bifden—' 
by  them  of  old  time,  Thou  shalt  not  forswear  thyself,  but 
shall  perform  unto  the  Lord  thine  oaths.  But  I  say  unto 
you,  Swear  not  at  all,  neither  by  heaven,"  &c.  "  But 
let  your  communication  be  yea,  yea  ;  nay,  nay  ;  for  what- 
soever is  more  than  these  cometh  of  evil."    As  also  the 


502 


PROPOSITION  XV. 


words  of  the  apostle  James,  v.  12,  <<  But  above  all  things 
my  brethren,  swear  not,  neither  by  heaven,  neither  by  the 
earth,  neither  by  any  other  oath  ;  but  let  your  yea  be  yea, 
and  your  nay,  nay,  lest  ye  fall  into  condemnation."  J 
say,  considering  these  clear  words,  it  is  admirable  how  any 
one  that  professeth  the  name  of  Christ  can  pronounce  any 
oath  with  a  quiet  conscience,  far  less  to  persecute  other 
Christians,  that  dare  not  swear,  because  of  their  master 
Christ's  authority.  For  did  any  one  purpose  seriously, 
and  in  the  most  rigid  manner,  to  forbid  any  thing  compre- 
hended under  any  general,  can  they  use  a  more  full  and 
general  prohibition,  and  that  without  any  exception  ?  I 
think  not.  For  Christ,  First,  proposeth  it  to  us  nega- 
tively. Swear  not  all,  neither  by  heaven,  nor  by  the 
earth,  nor  by  Jerusalem,  nor  by  thy  head,  &c.  And 
again,  "  Swear  not  by  heaven,  nor  by  earth,  nor  by  any 
other  oath."  Secondly,  he  presseth  it  affirmatively,  "  But 
let  your  communication  be  yea,  yea,  and  nay,  nay  ;  for 
whatsoever  is  more  than  these,  cometh  of  evil."  And  saith 
James,  "Lest  ye  fall  into  condemnation." 
Without  Which  words  both  all  and  every  one  of  them  do  make 
exception,  such  a  full  prohibition,  and  so  free  of  all  exception,  that  i^ 
is  strange  how  men  that  boast  the  scripture  is  the  rule  of 
their  faith  and  life,  can  counterfeit  any  exception  !  Cer- 
tainly reason  ought  to  teach  every  one,  that  it  is  not  law- 
ful to  make  void  a  general  prohibition  coming  from  God 
by  such  opposition,  unless  the  exception  be  as  clearly  and 
evidently  expressed  as  the  prohibition:  neither  is  it  enough 
to  endeavour  to  confirm  it  by  consequences  and  proba- 
bilities, which  are  obscure  and  uncertain,  and  not  sufficient 
to  bring  quiet  to  the  conscience.  'For  if  they  say,  that 
there  is  therefore  an  exception  and  limitation  in  the  words, 
because  there  are  found  exceptions  In  the  other  general 
prohibition  of  the  fifth  chapter,  as  in  the  forbidding  of 
divorcement,  where  Christ  saith,  "  It  hath  been  said,  Who- 
soever shall  put  away  his  wife,  let  him  give  her  a  writing 
of  divorcement :  but  I  say  unto  you.  That  whosoever  shall 
put  away  his  wife,  saving  for  the  cause  of  fornication,  caus 


OF  SALUTATIONS  AND  RECRKATIONS. 


603 


eth  her  to  commit  adultery  ;"  if,  I  say,  they  plead  this,  they 

not  only  labour  in  vain,  but  also  fight  against  themselves, 

because  they  can  produce  no  exception  of  this  general 

command  of  not  swearing,  expressed  by  God  to  any  under 

the  new  covenant,  after  Christ  gave  this  prohibition  so 

clear  as  that  which  is  made  in  the  prohibition  itself.    More-  Aleo  oaths 

.      before  a 

over,  if  Christ  would  have  excepted  oaths  made  betbre  magigtrate. 
magistrates,  certainly  he  had  then  expressed,  adding.  Ex- 
cept in  judgment,  before  the  magistrate,  or  the  like  ;  as  he 
did  in  that  of  divorcement  by  these  words,  '<  saving  for 
the  cause  of  fornication  :"  which  being  so,  it  is  not  lawful 
for  us  to  except  or  distinguish,  or,  which  is  all  one,  make 
void  this  general  prohibition  of  Christ ;  it  would  be  far  less 
agreeable  to  Christian  holiness  to  bring  upon  our  heads  the 
crimes  of  so  many  oaths,  which  by  reason  of  this  corrup- 
tion and  exception  are  so  frequent  among  Christians. 

Neither  is  it  to  be  omitted  that  without  doubt  the  most  The  con- 
learned  doctors  of  each  sect  know,  that  these  fore-men-  {^""anc^m 

tioned  words  were  understood  by  the  ancient  fathers  of  the  f^'hers 

.  ...  therein, 

first  three  hundred  years  after  Christ  to  be  a  prohibition  of 

all  sorts  of  oaths.  It  is  not  then  without  reason  that  we 
wonder  that  the  Popish  doctors  and  priests  bind  themselves 
by  an  oath  to  interpret  the  holy  scriptures  according  to  the 
universal  exposition  of  the  holy  fathers ;  who  nevertheless 
understood  those  controverted  texts  quite  contrary  to  what 
these  modern  doctors  do.  And  from  thence  also  do 
clearly  appear  the  vanity  and  foolish  certainty  (so  to  speak) 
of  Popish  traditions ;  for  if  by  the  writings  of  the  fathers, 
so  called,  the  faith  of  the  church  of  those  ages  may  be 
demonstrated,  it  is  clear  they  have  departed  from  the  faith 
of  the  church  of  the  first  three  ages  in  the  point  of  swear- 
ing. Moreover,  because  not  only  Papists,  but  also  Luther- 
ans and  Calvinists,  and  some  others,  do  restrict  the  words 
of  Christ  and  James,  I  think  it  needful  to  make  manifest 
the  vain  foundation  upon  which  their  presumption  in  this 
matter  is  built. 

§  XI.  Fir.st,  They  object.  That  Chri,st  only  forbids  these  OBJtrr 
oaths  that  are  made  by  creatures,  and  things  created  ;  and 


604 


PROPOSITION  XV. 


Ans.  I. 


Ans.  2. 

To  swear 
by  God 
hiinself  for- 
bidden by 
Christ. 


Ah8.  3. 


Object. 


'Answ. 


Oaths  un- 
der the  old 
covenant . 


they  prove  it  thence,  because  he  numbers  some  of  these 
things. 

Secondly,  All  rash  and  vain  oaths  in  familiar  discourses ; 
because  he  saith,  "  Let  your  communication  be  yea,  yea, 
and  nay,  nay." 

To  which  I  answer,  First,  That  the  law  did  forbid  all 
oaths  made  by  the  creatures,  as  also  all  vain  and  rash  oaths 
in  our  common  discourses,  commanding,  That  men  should 
only  swear  by  the  name  of  God,  and  that  neither  falsely 
nor  rashly  ;  for  that  is  to  take  his  name  in  vain. 

Secondly,  It  is  most  evident  that  Christ  forbids  some- 
what that  was  permitted  under  the  law,  to  wit,  to  swear 
by  the  name  of  God,  because  it  was  not  lawful  for  any 
man  to  swear  but  by  God  himself.  And  because  he  saith, 
"  Neither  by  heaven,  because  it  is  the  throne  of  God  ;' 
therefore  he  excludes  all  other  oaths,  even  those  which  are 
made  by  God;  for  he  saith,  chap,  xxiii.  22,  "He  that 
shall  swear  by  heaven,  svveareth  by  the  throne  of  God,  and 
by  him  that  sitteth  thereon :"  which  is  also  to  be  under- 
stood of  the  rest. 

Lastly,  That  he  might  put  the  matter  beyond  all  con- 
troversy, he  adds,  "Neither  by  any  other  oath:"  there- 
fore seeing  to  swear  before  the  magistrate  by  God  is  an 
oath,  it  is  here  without  doubt  forbidden. 

Secondly,  They  object.  That  by  these  words  oaths  by 
God's  name  cannot  be  forbidden,  because  the  Heavenly 
Father  hath  commanded  them  ;  for  the  Father  and  the  Son 
are  one,  which  could  not  be,  if  the  Son  had  forbid  that 
which  the  Father  commanded. 

I  answer,  They  are  indeed  one,  and  cannot  contradict 
one  another:  nevertheless  the  Father  gave  many  things  to 
the  Jews  for  a  time,  because  of  their  infirmity  under  the 
old  covenant,  which  had  only  a  shadow  of  good  things  to 
come,  not  the  very  substance  of  things,  until  Christ  should 
come,  who  was  the  substance,  and  by  whose  coming  all 
these  things  vanished,  to  wit,  sabbaths,  circumcision,  the 
paschal  lamb :  men  used  then  sacrifices,  who  lived  in  con- 
troversies with  God,  and  one  with  another,  which  all  are 


OF  SALUTATIONS  AND  RECREATIONS. 


505 


abrogated  in  the  coming  of  the  Son,  who  is  the  Substance, 
Eternal  Word,  and  Essential  Oath  and  Amen,  in  whom 
the  promises  of  God  are  Yea  and  Amen :  who  came  that 
men  might  be  redeemed  out  of  strife,  and  might  make  an 
end  of  controversy. 

Thirdly,  They  object,  But  all  oaths  are  not  ceremonies,  Obiijt. 
nor  any  part  of  the  ceremonial  law. 

I  answer.  Except  it  be  shown  to  be  an  eternal,  im-  Answ. 
m. liable,  and  moral  precept,  it  withstands  not ;  neither  are 
they  of  so  old  an  origin  as  tithes,  and  the  offering  of  the  Tithes, &« 
first  fruits  of  the  ground,  which  by  Abel  and  Cain  were  now.^  " 
offered  long  before  the  ceremonial  law,  or  the  use  of  oaths ; 
which,  whatever  may  be  alleged  against  it,  were  no  doubt 
ceremonies,  and  therefore  no  doubt  unlawful  now  to  be 
practised. 

Fourthly,  They  object.  That  to  swear  by  the  name  of  Objbct. 
God  is  a  moral  precept  of  continual  duration,  because  it  is 
•parked  with  his  essential  and  moral  worship,  Deut.  vi.  13, 
and  X.  20,  "  Thou  shalt  fear  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  serve 
him  alone :  thou  shalt  cleave  to  him,  and  swear  by  his 
name." 

I  answer,  This  proves  not  that  it  is  a  moral  and  eternal  Answ. 
precept ;  for  Moses  adds  that  to  all  the  precepts  and  cere- 
monies in  several  places  ;  as  Deut.  x.  12,  13,  saying,  "And 
now,  Israel,  what  doth  the  Lord  thy  God  require  of  thee, 
but  to  fear  the  Lord  thy  God,  to  walk  in  all  his  ways,  and 
to  love  him,  and  to  serve  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy 
heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul ;  to  keep  the  commandments 
of  the  Lord,  and  his  statutes,  which  I  command  thee  this 
day  ?"  And  chap.  xiv.  23,  the  fear  of  the  Lord  is  men- 
tioned together  with  the  tithes.  And  so  also  Levit.  xix. 
2,  3,  6,  the  sabbaths  and  regard  to  parents  are  mentioned 
with  swearing. 

Fifthly,  They  object.  That  solemn  oaths,  which  God  Objeoi 
commanded,  cannot  be  here  forbidden  by  Christ;  for  he 
saith,  that  they  come  from  evil :  but  these  did  not  come 
from  evil ;  for  God  never  commanded  any  thing  that  was 
evil,  or  came  from  evil. 

43  3o 


506 


PROPOSITION  XV. 


Oaths  aro 
BTil,  be- 
cause for 
bidden 


Truth  was 
before  all 
oaths. 


Oaths  sup- 
ply pre- 
Bupposed 
defects  of 
men's  in- 
eoiiatancy. 


I  answer,  There  are  things  which  are  good  because 
commanded,  and  evil  because  forbidden  ;  other  things  are 
commanded  because  good,  and  forbidden  because  evij. 
As  circumcision  and  oaths,  which  were  good,  when  and 
because  they  were  commanded,  and  in  no  other  respect ; 
and  again,  when  and  because  prohibited  under  the  gospel, 
they  are  evil. 

And  in  all  these  Jewish  constitutions,  however  cere- 
monial, there  was  something  of  good,  to  wit,  in  their 
season,  as  prefiguring  some  good :  as  by  circumcision,  the 
purifications,  and  other  things,  the  holiness  of  God'was 
typified,  and  that  the  Israelites  ought  to  be  holy,  as  their 
God  was  holy.  In  the  like  manner,  oaths,  under  the  sha- 
dows and  ceremonies,  signified  the  verity  of  God,  his 
faithfulness  and  certainty  ;  and  therefore  that  we  ought  in 
all  things  to  speak  and  witness  the  truth.  But  the  witness 
of  truth  was  before  all  oaths,  and  remains  when  all  oaths 
are  abolished;  and  this  is  the  morality  of  all  oaths;  and 
so  long  as  men  abide  therein,  there  is  no  necessity  nor 
place  for  oaths,  as  Polybius  witnessed,  who  said,  "  The 
use  of  oaths  in  judgment  was  rare  among  the  ancients;  but 
by  the  growing  of  perfidiousness,  so  grew  also  the  use  of 
oaths."  To  which  agreeth  Grotius,  saying,  "An  oath  is 
only  to  be  used  as  a  medicine,  in  case  of  necessity :  a 
solemn  oath  is  not  used  but  to  supply  defect.  The  light- 
ness of  men,  and  their  inconstancy,  begot  diffidence;  for 
which  swearing  was  sought  out  as  a  remedy."  Basil  the 
Great  saith,  That  "swearing  is  the  effect  of  sin."  And 
Ambrose,  That  "oaths  are  only  a  condescendency  for  de 
feet."  Chrysostora  saith.  That  "  an  oath  entered  when 
evil  grew,  when  men  exercised  their  frauds,  when  all 
foundations  were  overturned  :  that  oaths  took  their  be- 
ginning from  the  want  of  truth."  These  and  the  like  are 
witnessed  by  many  others  with  the  fore-mentioned  authors. 
But  what  need  of  testimonies,  where  the  evidence  of 
things  speaks  itself?  For  who  will  force  another  to  swear, 
of  whom  he  is  certainly  persuaded  that  he  abhors  to  lie  in 
his  words?   And  again,  as  Chrysostom  and  others  say, 


OF  SAU  TATIONS  AND  RECREATIONS. 


607 


For  what  end  wilt  thou  force  him  to  swear,  whom  thou 
believest  not  that  he  will  speak  the  truth  ? 

§  XII.  That  then  which  was  not  from  the  beginning, 
which  was  of  no  use  in  the  beginning,  which  had  not  its 
beginning  first  from  the  will  of  God,  but  from  the  work 
of  the  devil,  occasioned  from  evil,  to  wit,  from  uiifaith- 
fulii  ess,  lying,  deceit ;  and  which  was  at  first  only  invented 
by  man,  as  a  mutual  remedy  of  this  evil,  in  which  they 
called  upon  the  names  of  their  idols  ;  yea,  that  which,  as 
Hierom,  Chrysostom,  and  others  testify,  was  given  to  the 
Israelites  by  God,  as  unto  children,  that  they  might  abstain 
from  the  idolatrous  oaths  of  the  heathen,  Jer.  xii.  16, 
whatsoever  is  so,  is.  far  from  being  a  moral  and  eternal 
precept.  And  lastly,  whatsoever  by  its  profanation  and 
abuse  is  polluted  with  sin,  such  as  are  abundantly  the 
oaths  of  these  times,  by  so  often  swearing  and  forswearing, 
far  differs  from  any  necessary  and  perpetual  duty  of  a 
Christian  :  but  oaths  are  so  ;  therefore,  &c. 

Sixthly,  They  object.  That  God  swore,  therefore  to 
swear  is  good. 

I  answer  with  Athanasius ;  "Seeing  it  is  certain  it  is  Answ. 
proper  in  swearing  to  swear  by  another,  thence  it  appears,  ^s*^""^'" 
that  God,  to  speak  properly,  did  never  swear  but  only  im-  cruc.  Dom. 
properly:  whence,  speaking  to  men,  he  is  said  to  swear, 
because  those  things  which  he  speaks,  because  of  the  cer- 
tainty and  immutability  of  his  will,  are  to  be  esteemed  for 
oaths.    Compare  Psalm  ex.  4,  where  it  is  said.  The 
Lord  did  swear,  and  it  did  not  repent  him,  &c.    « And 
I  swore,'  saith  he,  'by  myself:'  and  this  is  not  an  oath  ;  Godsweari 
for  he  did  not  swear  by  another,  which  is  the  property  of  oTherfbut 
an  oath,  but  by  himself.    Therefore  God  swears  not  ac-  '^y  ''imneU: 
cording  to  the  manner  of  men,  neither  can  we  be  induced 
from  thence  to  swear.  But  let  us  so  do  and  say,  and  show 
ourselves  such  by  speaking  and  acting,  that  we  need  not 
an  oath  with  those  who  hear  us ;  and  let  our  words  of 
themselves  have  the  testimony  of  truth :  for  so  we  shall 
plainly  imitate  God." 


508 


PROPOSITION  XV. 


Object. 
Ahsw. 


Hicr.  lib. 
Ep.  part.  3 
tract.  1. 
Ep.  2. 


OlJBCT 


Ahsw. 


The  cere- 
monies of 
an  oath. 


Seventhly,  They  object,  Christ  did  sw-ear,  and  we  oughl 
to  imitate  him. 

I  answer.  That  Christ  did  not  swear ;  and  albeit  he  had 
sworn,  being  yet  under  the  law,  this  would  no  ways  oblige 
us  under  the  gospel ;  as  neither  circumcision,  or  the  cele- 
bration of  the  paschal  lamb.  Concerning  which  Hierom 
saith,  "All  things  agree  not  unto  us,  who  are  servants,  that 
agreed  unto  our  Lord,"  &c.  "  The  Lord  swore  as  Lord, 
whom  no  man  did  forbid  to  swear ;  but  unto  us,  that  are 
servants,  it  is  not  lawful  to  swear,  because  we  are  forbid- 
den by  the  law  of  our  Lord.  Yet,  lest  we  should  suffer 
scandal  by  his  example,  he  hath  not  sworn,  since  he  com- 
manded us  not  to  swear." 

Eighthly,  They  object.  That  Paul  swore,  and  that  often, 
Rom.  i.  9;  Phil.  i.  8,  saying,  "For  God  is  my  record." 
2  Cor.  xi.  10,  "  As  the  truth  of  Christ  is  in  me."  2  Cor. 
i.  23,  "I  call  God  for  a  record  upon  my  soul."  Rom. 
ix.  1,  "  I  speak  the  truth  in  Christ,  I  lie  not."  Gal.  i.  20, 
"  Behold,  before  God  I  lie  not,"  and  also  requires  oaths 
of  others.  1  Tim.  v.  21,  "I  charge  thee  before  God  and 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  1  Thess.  v.  27,  "I  charge  you 
by  the  Lord,  that  this  epistle  be  read  to  all  the  brethren." 
But  Paul  would  not  have  done  so,  if  all  manner  of  oaths 
had  been  forbidden  by  Christ,  whose  apostle  he  was. 

To  all  which  I  answer.  First,  That  the  using  of  such 
forms  of  speaking  is  neither  swearing,  nor  so  esteemed  by 
our  adversaries.  For  when  upon  occasion,  in  matters  of 
great  moment,  we  have  said,  "  We  speak  the  truth  in  the 
fear  of  God,  and  before  him,  who  is  our  witness,  and  the 
searcher  of  our  hearts,"  adding  such  kind  of  serious  at- 
testations, which  we  never  refused  in  matters  of  conse- 
quence ;  nevertheless  an  oath  hath  moreover  been  required 
of  us,  with  the  ceremony  of  putting  our  hands  upon  the 
book,  the  kissing  of  it,  the  lifting  up  of  the  hand  or  fingers, 
together  with  this  common  form  of  imprecation,  "  So  help 
me  God  ;"  or,  "  So  truly  let  the  Lord  God  Almighty  help 
me."  Secondly,  This  contradicts  the  opinion  of  our  ad- 
versaries, because  that  Paul  was  neither  before  a  magistrate 


OF  SALUTATIONS  AND  RECREATIONS. 


509 


lliat  was  requiring  an  oath  of  him,  nor  did  he  himself  ad- 
ii.iaister  the  office  of  a  magistrate,  as  offering  an  oath  to 
any  other.  Thirdly,  The  question  is  not  what  Paul  or 
Peter  did,  but  what  their  and  our  Master  taught  to  be 
done;  and  if  Paul  did  swear  (which  we  believe  not)  he 
had  sinned  against  the  command  of  Christ,  even  according 
to  their  own  opinion,  because  he  swore  not  before  a  ma- 
gistrate, but  in  an  epistle  to  his  brethren. 

Ninthly,  They  object,  Isa.  Ixv.  16,  where,  speaking  of  Object. 
the  evangelical  times,  he  saith,  "That  he  who  blesseth 
himself  in  the  earth,  shall  bless  himself  in  the  God  of  truth  ; 
and  he  that  sweareth  in  the  earth,  shall  swear  by  the  God 
of  truth ;  because  the  former  troubles  are  forgotten,  and 
because  they  are  hid  from  mine  eyes.  For  behold  I  create 
new  heavens,  and  a  new  earth."  Therefore  in  these  times 
we  ought  to  swear  by  the  name  of  the  Lord. 

I  answer.  It  is  ordinary  for  the  prophets  to  express  the  Answ. 
greatest  duties  of  evangelical  times  in  mosaical  terras,  as 
appears  among  others  from  Jer.  xxxi.  38,  39,  40 ;  Ezek. 
xxxvi.  25,  and  30;  and  Isa.  xlv.  23:  "I  have  sworn  by 
myself,  that  unto  me  every  knee  shall  bow,  every  tongue 
shall  swear."    Where  the  righteousness  of  the  new  Jeru- 
salem, the  purity  of  the  gospel,  with  its  spiritual  worship, 
and  the  profession  of  the  name  of  Christ,  are  expressed 
under  forms  of  speaking  used  to  the  old  Jerusalem,  under 
the  washings  of  the  law,  under  the  names  of  ceremonies, 
the  temple,  services,  sacrifices,  oaths,  &c.    Yea,  that  which 
the  prophet  speaks  here  of  swearing,  the  apostle  Paul  in-  Sweanngii 
terprels  expressly  of  confessing,  saying,  Rom.  xiv.  1 1 :  ^y'^confess 
"For  it  is  written.  As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord,  every  knee  ing under 
shall  bow  to  me,  and  every  tongue  shall  confess  to  God:"  ''"^  """P**' 
which  being  rightly  considered,  none  can  be  ignorant  but 
these  words  which  the  prophet  writes  under  the  law,  when 
the  ceremonial  oaths  were  in  use,  to  wit,  "  Every  tongue 
shall  swear,"  were  by  the  apostle,  being  under  the  gospel, 
when  those  oaths  became  abolished,  expressed  by  "  Every 
tongue  shall  confess." 

Tenthly,  They  object.  But  the  apostle  Paul  approves  Object. 
43  • 


PROPOSITION  XV. 


oaths  used  among  men,  when  he  writes,  Heb.  vi.  16 :  "  Foi 
men  verily  swear  by  the  greater,  and  an  oath  for  confirma- 
tion is  to  them  an  end  of  all  strife."  But  there  are  as 
many  contests,  fallacies,  and  diffidences,  at  this  time,  as 
there  ever  were ;  therefore  the  necessity  of  oaths  doth  yet 
remain. 

Ahsw.  I  answer ;  The  apostle  tells  indeed  in  this  place  what 
men  at  that  time  did,  who  lived  in  controversies  and  in- 
credulity;  not  what  they  ought  to  have  done,  nor  what  the 
saints  did,  who  were  redeemed  from  strife  and  incredulity, 
and  had  come  to  Christ,  the  Truth  and  Amen  of  God. 
Moreover,  he  only  alludes  to  a  certain  custom  usual  among 
men,  that  he  might  express  the  firmness  of  the  divine 
promise,  in  order  to  excite  in  the  saints  so  much  the  more 
confidence  in  God  promising  to  them  ;  not  that  he  might 
instigate  them  to  swear  against  the  law  of  God,  or  confirm 
them  in  that;  no,  not  at  all :  for  neither  doth  1  Cor.  ix.  24 
teach  Christians  the  vain  races,  whereby  men  oftentimes, 
even  to  the  destruction  of  their  bodies,  are  wearied  to  ob- 
tain a  corruptible  prize ;  so  neither  doth  Christ,  who  is  the 
Prince  of  Peace,  teach  his  disciples  to  fight,  albeit  he  takes 
notice,  Luke  xiv.  31,  what  it  behoveth  such  kings  to  do 
who  are  accustomed  to  fight,  as  prudent  warriors  therein. 
Secondly,  as  to  what  pertains  to  contests,  perfidies,  and 
diffidences  among  men,  which  our  adversaries  affirm  to 
have  grown  to  such  a  height,  that  swearing  is  at  present 
as  necessary  as  ever,  that  we  deny  not  at  all :  for  we  see, 
Deceit  and  daily  experience  teacheth  us,  that  all  manner  of  deceit 
faTse^^no'r  "lalice  doth  increase  among  worldly  men  and  false 
the  true     Christians  :  but  not  amoner  true  Christians.    But  because 

Christians.  111^  •  1 

men  cannot  trust  one  another,  and  therefore  require  oaths 
one  of  another,  it  will  not  therefore  follow  that  true  Chris- 
tians ought  to  do  so,  whom  Christ  has  brought  to  faithful- 
ness and  honesty,  as  well  towards  God  as  one  towards  an- 
other, and  therefore  has  delivered  them  from  contests,  per- 
fidies, and  consequently  from  oaths. 
Objbct.  Eleventhly,  They  object,  We  grant,  that  among  true 
Christians  there  is  not  need  of  oaths ;  but  by  what  mean9 


OF  SALUTATIONS  AND  RECRKATIONS. 


611 


shall  we  infallibly  know  them  ?  It  will  follow  then  that 
oaths  are  at  present  needful,  and  that  it  is  lawful  for  Chris- 
tians to  swear,  to  wit,  that  such  may  be  satisfied  who  wiK 
not  acknowledge  this  and  the  other  man  to  be  a  Chris- 
tian. 

I  answer,  It  is  no  ways  lawful  for  a  Christian  to  swear,  Answ. 
whom  Christ  has  called  to  his  essential  truth,  which  was 
before  all  oaths,  forbidding  him  to  swear  ;  and  on  the  con-  Truth  wm 
trary,  commanding  him  to  speak  the  truth  in  all  things,  oafh^* 
to  the  honour  of  Christ  who  called  him  ;  that  it  may 
appear  that  the  words  of  his  disciples  may  be  as  truly 
believed  as  the  oaths  of  all  the  worldly  men.  Neither  is 
it  lawful  for  them  to  be  unfaithful  in  this,  that  they  may 
please  others,  or  that  they  may  avoid  their  hurt :  for  thus 
the  primitive  Christians  for  some  ages  remained  faithful^ 
who  being  required  to  swear,  did  unanimously  answer, 
I  am  a  Christian,  I  do  not  swear.  What  shall  I  say  of 
the  heathen,  some  of  whom  arrived  to  that  degree  ?  For  Heathen 
Diodorus  Siculus  relates,  lib.  xvi..  That  "the  giving  of  agai^t*'"** 
the  right  hand  was  among  the  Persians,  a  sign  of  speaking  "a'***- 
the  truth."  And  the  Scythians,  as  Qu.  Curtius  relates, 
said,  in  their  conferences  with  Alexander  the  Great, "  Think 
not  that  the  Scythians  confirm  their  friendship  by  swear- 
ing ;  they  swear  by  keeping  their  promises."  Stobaeus, 
Serm.  3,  relates.  That  Solon  said,  "A  good  man  ought  to 
be  in  that  estimation  that  he  need  not  an  oath  ;  because  it 
is  to  be  reputed  a  lessening  of  his  honour  if  he  be  forced 
to  swear."  Pythagoras,  in  his  oration,  among  other  things 
hath  this  maxim,  as  that  which  concerns  the  adminis- 
tration of  the  commonwealth :  "  Let  no  man  call  God  to 
witness  by  an  oath,  no  not  in  judgment  ;  but  let  every 
man  so  accustom  himself  to  speak,  that  he  may  become 
worthy  to  be  trusted  even  without  an  oath."  Basil  the 
Great  commends  Clinias  an  heathen,  "  That  he  had  rather 
pay  three  talents,  which  are  about  three  thousand  pounds, 
than  swear."  Socrates,  as  Stobaeus  relates,  Serm.  14,  had 
this  sentence,  "  The  duty  of  good  men  requires  that  they 
show  to  the  world  that  their  manners  and  actions  are  more 


512 


PROPOSITION  r/. 


Daths  Ab- 
rogated by 
Christ. 


The  testi- 
rnoriieB  of 
the  fathers 
against 
ouths  and 
fwearing. 


firm  thar.  oaths."  The  same  was  the  judgment  of  Iso- 
crates.  Plato  also  stood  against  oaths  in  his  judgment 
de  Leg.  12.  Quintilianus  takes  notice,  '<  That  it  was  of 
old  a  kind  of  infamy,  if  any  was  desired  to  swear ;  but  to 
require  an  oath  of  a  nobleman,  was  like  an  examining  him 
by  the  hangman."  The  Emperor  Marcus  Aurelius  Anto- 
ninus saith,  in  his  description  of  a  good  man,  "  Such  is 
his  integrity,  that  he  needs  not  an  oath."  So  also  some 
Jews  did  witness,  as  Grotius  relates  out  of  Maimonides, 
<'  It  is  best  for  a  man  to  abstain  from  all  oaths."  The 
Essenes,  as  Philo  Judeeus  relates,  "  did  esteem  their  words 
more  firm  than  oaths ;  and  oaths  were  esteemed  among 
them  as  needless  things."  And  Philo  himself,  speaking 
of  the  third  commandment,  explains  his  mind  thus,  viz.  : 
« It  were  better  altogether  not  to  swear,  but  to  be  accus- 
tomed always  to  speak  the  truth,  that  naked  words  might 
have  the  strength  of  an  oath."  And  elsewhere  he  saith, 
"  It  is  more  agreeable  to  natural  reason  altogether  to 
abstain  from  swearing;  persuading.  That  whatsoever  a 
good  man  saith  may  be  equivalent  with  an  oath." 

Who  then  needs  further  to  doubt,  but  that  since  Christ 
would  have  his  disciples  attain  the  highest  pitch  of  per 
fection,  he  abrogated  oaths,  as  a  rudiment  of  infirmity, 
and  in  place  thereof  established  the  use  of  truth  Who 
can  now  any  more  think  that  the  holy  martyrs  and  ancient 
fathers  of  the  first  three  hundred  years,  and  many  others 
since  that  time,  have  so  opposed  themselves  to  oaths,  that 
they  might  only  rebuke  vain  and  rash  oaths  by  the  crea- 
tures, or  heathen  idols,  which  were  also  prohibited  under 
the  mosaical  law  ;  and  not  also  swearing  by  the  true  God, 
in  truth  and  righteousness,  which  was  there  commanded  ? 
as  Polycarpus,  Justin  Martyr,  Apolog.  2,  and  many  mar- 
tyrs, as  Eusebius  relates.  Tertullian,  in  his  Apol.,  cap. 
32  ;  ad  Soap.,  cap.  1  ;  of  Idolatry,  cap.  11.  Clem.  Alex- 
andrinus,  Strom.,  lib.  7.  Origan,  in  Mat.,  Tract.  25. 
Cyprianus,  lib.  3.  Athanasius,  in  pass.  &  cruc,  Domini 
Christi.  Hilarius  in  Mat.  v.  34.  Basilius  Magn.  in  Psalm 
xiv.    Greg.  Nyssenus,  in  Cant.  Orat.  13.    Greg.  Nazian- 


OF  SALUTATIONS  AND  RECKEATIONS. 


513 


cenus  in  dialog,  contra  juramenta.  Epiphanius  adversus 
heres.j  lib.  1,  Ambros.  de  Virg.,  lib.  3;  Idem  in  Mat.  v 
Chrysostom  in  Genes,  honiil.  15  ;  Idem  liomil.,  in  Ac* 
Apost.,  cap.  3.  Hieronimus  Epistol.,  lib.  part  3,  Ep.  2. 
Idem  in  Zech.,  lib.  2,  cap.  8.  Idem  in  Mat.,  lib.  1,  cap.  5. 
Augustinus  de  serm.  Dom.  serm.  28.  Cyrillus  in  Jer.  iv. 
Theodoretus  in  Deut.  vi.  Isidorus  Pelusiota,  Ep.  lib.  1, 
Epist.  155.  Chromatius  in  Mat.  v.  Johannes  Damas- 
cenus,  lib.  3,  cap.  16.  Cassiodorus  in  Psalm  xciv.  Isi- 
dorus Hispalensis,  cap.  31.  Antiochus  in  Pandect,  script, 
horn.  62.  Beda  in  Jac.  v.  Haimo  in  Apoc.  Ambrosius 
Ansbertus  in  Apoc.  Theophylactus  in  Mat.  v.  Pascha- 
sius  Radbertus  in  Mat.  v.  Otho  Brunsfelsius  in  Mat.  v. 
Druthmarus  in  Mat.  v.  Eiithymius  Eugubinus  Bibliotheca 
vet.  patr.  in  Mat.  v.  CEcumenius  in  Jac,  cap.  v.,  ver.  12. 
Anselmus  in  Mat.  v. ;  the  Waldenses,  Wickliffe,  Erasmus, 
in  Mat.  v.,  and  in  Jac.  v.  Who  can  read  these  places  and 
doubt  of  their  sense  in  this  matter And  who,  believing 
that  they  were  against  all  oaths,  can  bring  so  great  an  in- 
dignity to  the  name  of  Christ,  as  to  seek  to  subject  again 
his  followers  to  so  great  an  indignity  .''  Is  it  not  rather 
time  that  all  good  men  should  labour  to  remove  this  abuse 
and  infamy  from  Christians  .'' 

Lastly,  They  object,  This  will  bring  in  fraud  and  con-  Objeci 
fusion  ;  for  impostors  will  counterfeit  probity,  and  under 
the  benefit  of  this  dispensation  will  lie  without  fear  of 
punishment. 

I  answer.  There  are  two  things  which  oblige  a  man  to  Aksw. 
speak  the  truth  :  First,  either  the  fear  of  God  in  his  heart, 
and  love  of  truth  ;  for  where  this  is,  there  is  no  need  of 
oaths  to  speak  the  truth  ;  or  Secondly,  The  fear  of  punish- 
ment from  the  judge.    Therefore  let  there  be  the  same.  The 
or  rather  greater  punishment  appointed  to  those  who  pre-  o""i|r" 
tend  so  great  truth  in  words,  and  so  great  simplicity  in 
heart  that  they  cannot  lie,  and  so  great  reverence  towards 
the  law  of  Christ,  that  for  conscience'  sake  they  deny  to 
swear  in  any  wise,  if  they  fail ;  and  so  there  shall  be  the 
same  good  order,  yea,  greater  security  against  deceivers, 

3p 


514 


PROPOSITION  XV. 


as  if  oaths  were  continued  ;  and  also,  by  that  m.)re  sever* 
punishment,  to  which  these  false  dissemblers  shall  be 
liable.  Hence  wicked  men  shall  be  more  terrified,  and 
good  men  delivered  from  all  oppression,  both  in  their 
liberty  and  goods:  for  which  respect  to  tender  consciences, 
God  hath  often  a  regard  to  magistrates  and  their  state,  as 
a  thing  most  acceptable  to  him.  But  if  any  can  further 
doubt  of  this  thing,  to  wit,  if  without  confusion  it  can  be 
practised  in  the  commonwealth,  let  him  consider  the  state 
The  United  of  the  United  Netherlands,  and  he  shall  see  the  good  effect 
lands  in-  of  it :  for  there,  because  of  the  great  number  of  merchants 
itanced.  more  than  in  any  other  place,  there  is  most  frequent  occa- 
sion for  this  thing ;  and  though  the  number  of  those  that 
are  of  this  mind  be  considerable,  to  whom  the  States  these 
hundred  years  have  condescended,  and  yet  daily  conde- 
scend, yet  nevertheless  there  has  nothing  of  prejudice  fol- 
lowed thereupon  to  the  commonwealth,  government,  or 
good  order  ;  but  rather  great  advantage  to  trade,  and  so  to 
the  commonwealth. 

§  XIII.  Sixthly,  The  last  thing  to  be  considered,  is 
revenge  and  war,  an  evil  as  opposite  and  contrary  to  the 
Spirit  and  doctrine  of  Christ  as  light  to  darkness.  For, 
as  is  manifest  by  what  is  said,  through  contempt  of  Christ's 
Revenge  law  the  whole  world  is  filled  with  various  oaths,  cursings, 
contrBry  to  blasphemo\is  profanations,  and  horrid  perjuries ;  so  like- 
Christ,  wise,  through  contempt  of  the  same  law,  the  world  is 
filled  with  violence,  oppression,  murders,  ravishing  of 
women  and  virgins,  spoilings,  depredations,  burnings, 
devastations,  and  all  manner  of  lasciviousness  and  cruelty: 
so  that  it  is  strange  that  men,  made  after  the  image  of  God, 
should  have  so  much  degenerated,  that  they  rather  bear 
the  image  and  nature  of  roaring  lions,  tearing  tigers, 
devouring  wolves,  and  raging  boars,  than  of  rational  crea- 
tures endued  with  reason.  And  is  it  not  yet  much  more 
admirable,  that  this  horrid  monster  should  find  place,  and 
be  fomented,  among  those  men  that  profess  themselves 
disciples  of  our  peaceable  Lord  and  master  Jesus  Christ, 
who  by  excellency  is  called  the  Prince  of  Peace,  and  hath 


OF  SALUTATIONS  AND  RECREATIONS. 


516 


exptessly  prohibited  his  children  all  violence  ;  and  on  the 
contrary,  commanded  them,  that,  according  to  his  exam- 
ple, they  should  follow  patience,  charity,  forbearance,  and 
other  virtues  worthy  of  a  Christian  ? 

Hear  then  what  this  great  prophet  saith,  whom  every 
soul  is  commanded  to  hear,  under  the  pain  of  being  cut 
off,  Matt,  v.,  from  verse  38,  to  the  end  of  the  chapter.  For 
thus  he  saith  :  "  Ye  have  heard  that  it  hath  been  said,  An  Revenge 
eye  for  an  eye,  and  a  tooth  for  a  tooth:  But  I  say  unto  by  Christ, 
you,  That  ye  resist  not  evil ;  but  whosoever  shall  smite  thee 
on  thy  right  cheek,  turn  to  him  the  other  also.  And  if  any 
man  will  sue  thee  at  the  law,  and  take  away  thy  coat,  let 
him  have  thy  cloak  also.  And  whosoever  shall  compel 
thee  to  go  a  mile,  go  with  him  twain.  Give  to  him  that 
askeih  thee  ;  and  from  him  that  would  borrow  of  thee,  turn 
not  thou  away.  Ye  have  heard  that  it  has  been  said,  Thou 
shall  love  thy  neighbour,  and  hate  thine  enemy  ;  but  I  say 
unto  you.  Love  your  enemies,  bless  them  that  curse  you, 
do  good  to  them  that  hate  you,  and  pray  for  them  which 
despitefully  use  you,  and  persecute  you,  that  ye  may  be 
the  children  of  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven.  For  he 
maketh  his  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  on  the  good,  and 
sendeth  rain  on  the  just  and  on  the  unjust.  For  if  ye  love 
them  which  love  you,  what  reward  have  ye Do  not  even 
the  publicans  the  same?  And  if  ye  salute  your  brethren 
only,  what  do  you  more  than  others.'  Do  not  even  the 
publicans  so  ?  Be  ye  therefore  perfect,  even  as  your  Father 
which  is  in  heaven  is  perfect." 

These  words,  with  respect  to  revenge,  as  the  former  in  The  law 
the  case  of  swearing,  do  forbid  some  things,  which  in  time  ^ore^'per 
past  were  lawful  to  the  Jews,  considering  their  condition  [^^j', '^'j-*" 
and  dispensation ;  and  command  unto  such  as  will  be  the  Mosne. 
disciples  of  Christ,  a  more  perfect,  eminent,  and  full  sig- 
nification of  charity,  as  also  patience  and  suffering,  than 
was  required  of  them  in  that  time,  state,  and  dispensation 
oy  the  law  of  Moses.    This  is  not  only  the  judgment  of 
most,  if  not  all,  the  ancient  fathers,  so  called,  of  the  first 
three  hundred  years  after  Christ,  but  also  of  many  others, 


516 


PROPOSItlON  XV. 


and  in  general  of  all  those  who  have  rightly  understood 

and  propagated  the  law  of  Christ  concerning  swearing,  as 

Testi-       appears  from  Justin  Martyr  in  Dialog,  cum  Tryph.  ejus- 

monies  of,  ai       r>r  irz  ti 

the  tathers  demque  Apolog.  2.    Item  ad  Zenam.    lertul.  de  Corona 

filbSng.  '^^litis.  It.  Apolog.,  cap.  21,  and  37.  It.  lib.  de  Idolol., 
cap.  17,  18,  19.  It.  ad  Scapulam.,  cap.  1.  It.  adversus 
Jud.,  cap.  7,  and  9.  It.  adv.  Gnost.,  cap.  13.  It,  ad. 
Marc,  cap.  4.  It.  lib.  de  Patientia,  c.  6,  10.  Orig.  cont. 
Celsuin,  lib.  3,  5,  8.  It.  in  Josuarn  hom.  12,  cap.  9.  It. 
in  Matt.,  cap.  26.  Tract.  35.  Cyp.  Epist.  56.  It.  ad. 
Cornel.  Lactan.  de  just.,  lib.  5,  c.  18  ;  lib.  6,  c.  20.  Ambr. 
in  Luc.  xxii.  Chrysost.  in  Matt,  v.,  horn.  18.  It.  in  Matt, 
xxvi.,  hom.  85.  It.  lib.  2,  de  Sacerdotio.  It.  in  1  Cor. 
xiii.  Chromat.  in  Matt.  v.  Hierom.  ad.  Ocean.  It.  lib. 
Epist.,  p.  3;  Tom.  1,  Ep.  2.  Athan.  de  Inc.  Verb.  Dei, 
Cyrill.  Alex.,  lib.  11,  in  Johan.,  cap.  xxv.  26.  Yea,  Au- 
gustine, although  he  vary  much  in  this  matter,  notwith- 
standing in  these  places  he  did  condemn  fighting,  Epist. 
158,  159,  160.  It.  ad.  Judices,  Epist.  203.  It.  ad.  Da- 
rium,  and  lib.  21.  It.  ad.  Faustum.,  cap.  76,  lib.  22,  de 
Civit.  ad.  Marc,  cap.  6,  as  Sylburgius  relates.  Euthym. 
in  Matt,  xxvi,  and  many  others  of  this  age.  Erasmus  in 
Luc,  cap.  3,  and  22.  Ludov.  Vives  in  Introduc.  ad.  Sap. 
J.  Ferus,  lib,  4  ;  Comment,  in  Matt,  vii.,  and  Luc.  xxii. 
The  laws  From  hence  it  appears,  that  there  is  so  great  a  connec- 
ihe^^New  tion  betwixt  these  two  precepts  of  Christ,  that  as  they  were 
Testament  u^ered  and  commanded  by  him  at  one  and  the  same  time, 

are  irrecon-  •'  .  ' 

citable  to  SO  the  Same  way  they  were  received  by  men  of  all  ages, 
["ixMrvvara,  i^ot  only  in  the  first  promulgation  by  the  little  number  of 
■nd  fight-   tj^g  disciples,  but  also  after  the  Christians  increased  in  the 

ing  » 

first  three  hundred  years.  Even  so  in  the  apostasy,  the  one 
was  not  left  and  rejected  without  the  other  ;  and  now  again 
in  the  restitution,  and  renewed  preaching  of  the  eternal 
gospel,  they  are  acknowledged  as  eternal  and  unchange- 
able laws,  properly  belonging  to  the  evangelical  state  and 
perfection  thereof ;  from  which  if  any  withdraw,  he  falls 
short  of  the  perfection  of  a  Christian  man. 

And  truly  the  words  are  so  clear  in  themselves,  that,  n 


OF  SALUTATIONS  AND  RECREATIONS. 


51 


my  judgment,  they  need  no  illustration  to  explain  their 
sense  ;  for  it  is  as  easy  to  reconcile  the  greatest  contradic- 
tions, as  these  laws  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  with  the 
wicked  practices  of  wars :  for  they  are  plainly  inconsistent. 
Whoever  can  reconcile  this,  "  Resist  not  evil,"  with.  Re- 
sist violence  by  force  :  again,  "  Give  also  thy  other  cheek," 
with.  Strike  again  ;  also  "  Love  thine  enemies,"  with,  Spoil 
them,  make  a  prey  of  them,  pursue  them  with  fire  and 
sword;  or,  "  Pray  for  those  that  persecute  you,  and  those 
that  calumniate  you,"  with,  Persecute  them  by  fines,  im- 
prisonments, and  death  itself;  and  not  only  such  as  do  not 
[>€rsecute  you,  but  who  heartily  seek  and  desire  your  eternal 
and  temporal  welfare :  whoever,  I  say,  can  find  a  means  to 
reconcile  these  things,  may  be  supposed  also  to  have  found 
a  way  to  reconcile  God  with  the  devil,  Christ  with  Anti- 
christ, light  with  darkness,  and  good  with  evil.  But  if 
this  be  impossible,  as  indeed  it  is,  so  will  also  the  other  be 
impossible  ;  and  men  do  but  deceive  themselves  and  others, 
while  they  boldly  adventure  to  establish  such  absurd  and 
impossible  things. 

§  XIV.  Nevertheless,  because  some,  perhaps  through 
inadvertency,  and  by  the  force  of  custom  and  tradition,  do 
transgress  this  command  of  Christ,  I  shall  briefly  show 
how  much  war  doth  contradict  this  precept,  and  how  much 
they  are  inconsistent  with  one  another ;  and  consequently, 
that  war  is  no  ways  lawful  to  such  as  will  be  the  disciples 
of  Christ.  For, 

First,  Christ  commands.  That  "  we  should  love  our  ene-  Matt.i  44 
mies ;"  but  war,  on  the  contrary,  teacheth  us  to  hate  and 
destroy  them. 

Secondly,  The  apostle  saith.  That  "  we  war  not  after  Eph.  vi.  is 
the  flesh,"  and  that  "  we  fight  not  with  flesh  and  blood  ;" 
but  outward  war  is  according  to  the  flesh,  and  against  flesh 
and  blood  :  fo-  the  shedding  of  the  one,  and  destroying 
of  the  other. 

Thirdly,  The  apostle  sailh,  That  "the  weapons  of  our  ^  Cor.  x.  4 
warfare  are  not  carnal,  but  mighty  through  God  ;"  but  the 
weapons  of  outward  warfare  are  carnal,  such  as  cannon, 
44 


PROPOSITION  XV. 


muskets,  spears,  swords,  &c.,  of  whicli  there  is  no  inei» 
tion  in  the  armour  described  by  Paul, 
lamesiv.  1.     Fourthly,  Because  James  testifies.  That  wars  an  1  strifes 

Gal.  V.  24.  r         .1      1  ,  •  1  •  , 

come  trom  the  lusts,  which  war  m  the  members  of  carnal 
men  ;  but  Christians,  that  is,  those  that  are  truly  saintS; 
"  have  crucified  the  flesh,  with  its  affections  and  lusts  ;" 
therefore  they  cannot  indulge  them  by  waging  war. 
Isa.  ii.  4.        Fifthly,  Because  the  prophets  Isaiah  and  Micah  have  ex- 
Mic.  IV.  3.    prggs]y  prophesied,  That  in  the  mountain  of  the  house 
of  the  Lord,  Christ  shall  judge  the  nations,  and  then 
'<  they  shall  beat  their  swords  into  ploughshares,"  &c. 
Primitive    And  the  ancient  fathers  of  the  first  three  hundred  years 
niosrave'rsc  a^^r  Christ  did  affirm  these  prophecies  to  be  fulfilled  in 
from  war.         Christians  of  their  times,  who  were  most  averse  from 
war ;  concerning  which  Justin  Martyr,  Tertullian,  and 
others  may  be  seen  :  which  need  not  seem  strange  to  any, 
since  Philo  Judaeus  abundantly  testifies  of  the  Essenes, 
That  '<  there  was  none  found  among  them  that  would 
make  instruments  of  war."  But  how  much  more  did  Jesus 
come,  that  he  might  keep  his  followers  from  fighting,  and 
might  bring  them  to  patience  and  charity } 
Ua.  Ixv.  25.     Sixthly,  Because  the    prophet  foretold,  That  there 
should  none  hurt  nor  kill  in  all  the  holy  mountain  of  the 
Lord  ;  but  outward  war  is  appointed  for  killing  and  de- 
stroying. 

John  xviii.  Seventhly,  Because  Christ  said.  That  "  his  kingdom  is 
not  of  this  world,"  and  therefore  that  his  servants  shall  not 
fight ;  therefore  those  that  fight  are  not  his  disciples  nor 
servants. 

Mat.  XXV].  Eighthly,  Because  he  reproved  Peter  for  the  use  of  the 
sword,  saying,  "Put  up  again  thy  sword  into  his  place: 
for  all  they  that  take  the  sword,  shall  perish  with  the  sword.*' 
Concerning  which  Tertullian  speaks  well,  lib.  de  Idol., 
'<  How  shall  he  fight  in  peace  without  a  sword,  which  the 
Lord  did  take  away For  although  soldiers  came  to  John, 
and  received  a  form  of  observation  ;  if  also  the  centurion 
believed  afterwards,  he  disarmed  every  soldier  in  disarm- 
ing of  Peter."    Idem,  de  Coron.  Mil.  asketh,  "  Shall  it 


OF  SALUTATIONS   AND  RECREATIONS. 


519 


be  lawful  to  use  the  sword,  the  Lord  saying,  That  he  tha\ 
useth  the  sword,  shall  perish  by  the  sword." 

Ninthly,  Because  the  apostle  admonisheth  Christians,  Rom.  rii 
That  they  defend  not  themselves,  neither  revenge  by  '** 
rendering  evil  for  evil ;  but  give  place  unto  wrath,  because 
vengeance  is  the  Lord's.  Be  not  overcome  of  evil,  but 
overcome  evil  with  good.  If  thine  enemy  hunger,  feed 
him  ;  if  he  thirst,  give  him  drink.  But  war  throughout 
teacheth  and  enjoineth  the  quite  contrary. 

Tenthly,  Because  Christ  calls  his  children  to  bear  his 
cross,  not  to  crucify  or  kill  others;  to  patience,  not  to  Markviii. 
revenge;  to  truth  and  simplicity,  not  to  fraudulent  stra- ^''^ 
tagems  of  war,  or  to  play  the  sycophant,  which  John  him- 
self forbids ;  to  flee  the  glory  of  this  world,  not  to  acquire 
it  by  warlike  endeavours  ;  therefore  war  is  altogether  con- 
trary unto  the  law  and  Spirit  of  Christ. 

§  XV.  But  they  object,  That  it  is  lawful  to  war,  be-  Object. 
cause  Abraham  did  war  before  the  giving  of  the  law,  and 
the  Israelites  after  the  giving  of  the  law. 

I  answer  as  before,  1.  That  Abraham  offered  sacrifices  Answ. 
at  that  time,  and  circumcised  the  males;  which  neverthe- 
less are  not  lawful  for  us  under  the  gospel. 

2.  That  neither  defensive  nor  offensive  war  was  lawful  Israelitei 
to  the  Israelites  of  their  own  will,  or  by  their  own  counsel  w°arfn-*' 
or  conduct ;  but  they  were  obliged  at  all  times,  if  they  ^^"if^l^ 
would  be  successful,  first  to  inquire  of  the  oracle  of  God.  of  God. 

3.  That  their  wars  against  the  wicked  nations  were  a 
figure  of  the  inward  war  of  the  true  Christians  against  their 
spiritual  enemies,  in  which  we  overcome  the  devil,  the 
world,  and  the  flesh. 

4.  Something  is  expressly  forbidden  by  Christ,  Mat.  v. 
38,  &c.,  which  was  granted  to  the  Jews  in  their  time,  be- 
cause of  their  hardness;  and  on  the  contrary,  we  are  com-  Some 
inanded  that  singular  patience  and  exercise  of  love  which  p'ji," 
Moses  commanded  not  to  his  disciples.    From  whence  'lie  Old 
Tertullian  saith  well  against  Marc,  "  Christ  truly  teacheth  because  of 
a  new  patience,  even  forbidding  the  revenge  of  an  injury,  {Jear"^""' 
which  was  permitted  by  the  Creator."  And  lib.  de  patien., 


520 


PROPOSITION  XV. 


'<  The  law  finds  more  than  it  lost,  by  Chrisfs  saying,  Love 
your  enemies."  And  in  the  time  of  Clem.  Alex.  Christians 
were  so  far  from  wars,  that  he  testified  that  they  had  no 
marks  or  signs  of  violence  among  them,  saying,  "  Neither 
are  the  faces  of  idols  to  be  painted,  to  which  so  much  as 
to  regard  is  forbidden  :  neither  sword  nor  bow  to  them 
that  follow  peace  ;  nor  cups  to  them  who  are  moderate  and 
temperate,"  as  Sylvius  Disc,  de  Rev.  Belg. 

Object.  Secondly,  They  object,  That  defence  is  of  natural  right, 
and  that  religion  destroys  not  nature. 

Answ.  I  answer.  Be  it  so  ;  but  to  obey  God,  and  commend 

ourselves  to  him  in  fiiith  and  patience,  is  not  to  destroy 
nature,  but  to  exalt  and  perfect  it ;  to  wit,  to  elevate  it 
from  the  natural  to  the  supernatural  life,  by  Christ  living 
therein,  and  comforting  it,  that  it  may  do  all  things,  and 
be  rendered  more  than  conqueror. 

Object.  Thirdly,  They  object.  That  John  did  not  abrogate  or 
condemn  war,  when  the  soldiers  came  unto  him. 

Answ.  I  answer.  What  then     The  question  is  not  concerning 

John's  doctrine,  but  Christ's,  whose  disciples  we  are,  not 
John's :  for  Christ,  and  not  John,  is  that  prophet  whom 

Luke  vii.  we  ought  all  to  hear.  And  although  Christ  said,  "  That 
a  greater  than  John  the  Baptist  was  not  among  men  born 
of  women,"  yet  he  adds,  "  That  the  least  in  the  kingdom 
of  God  is  greater  than  he."  But  what  was  John's  answer, 
that  we  may  see  if  it  can  justify  the  soldiers  of  this  time.' 
For  if  it  be  narrowly  observed,  it  will  appear,  that  what 
he  proposeth  to  soldiers  doth  manifestly  forbid  them  that 

Luke ui.  14.  employment;  for  he  commands  them  "  not  to  do  violence 
to  any  man,  nor  to  accuse  any  falsely ;"  but  to  <'  be  con- 
tent with  their  wages."  Consider  then  what  he  dischargeth 
to  soldiers,  viz.  :  Not  to  use  violence  or  deceit  against 
any;  which  being  removed,  let  any  tell  how  soldiers  can 
war.-*  For  are  not  craft,  violence,  and  injustice  three  pro- 
perties of  war,  and  the  natural  consequences  of  battles.' 

Object.  Fourthly,  They  object.  That  Cornelius,  and  that  cen- 
turion of  whom  there  is  mention  made,  Mat,  viii.  5,  were 


OF  SALUTATIONS  AND  KECRKATIONS. 


o21 


soldiers,  and  there  is  no  mention  that  they  laid  down  their 
military  employments. 

I  answer,  Neither  read  we  that  they  continued  in  them.  Assw. 
But  it  is  most  probable  that  if  they  continued  in  the  doc- 
trine of  Christ  (and  we  read  not  any  where  of  their  falling 
from  the  faith)  that  they  did  not  continue  in  them  ;  espe- 
cially if  we  consider,  that  two  or  three  ages  afterwards 
Christians  altogether  rejected  war,  or  at  least  a  long  while 
after  that  time,  if  the  emperor  Marc.  Aurel.  Anton,  be  to 
be  credited,  who  writes  thus:  —  "I  prayed  to  my  country 
gods;  but  when  I  was  neglected  by  them,  and  observed 
myself  pressed  by  the  enemy,  considering  the  fewness  of 
roy  forces,  I  called  to  one,  and  entreated  those  who  with  Christiana 
us  are  called  Christians,  and  I  found  a  great  number  of  iha't*di*if  nc 
them  ;  and  I  forced  them  with  threats,  which  ought  not  to 
have  been,  because  afterwards  I  knew  their  strength  and 
force:"  therefore  they  betook  themselves  neither  to  the 
use  of  darts  nor  trumpets,  "for  they  use  not  so  to  do,  for 
the  cause  and  name  of  their  God,  which  they  bear  in  their 
consciences:"  and  this  was  done  about  an  hundred  and 
sixty  years  after  Christ.  To  this  add  those  words,  which  in 
Justin  Martyr  the  Christians  answer,  i  iroXEjxSfAsv  Tolg  ^x^I^'^'j 
that  is,  '  We  fight  not  with  our  enemies.'  And  moreover 
the  answer  of  Martin  to  Julian  the  apostate,  related  by 
Sulpitius  Severus,  "I  am  a  soldier  of  Christ,  therefore  I 
cannot  fight;"  which  was  three  hundred  years  after  Christ. 
It  is  not  therefore  probable  that  they  continued  in  warlike 
employments.  How  then  are  Vincentius  Lyrinensis  and 
the  Papists  consistent  with  their  maxim,  "That  which  al- 
ways, every  where,  and  by  all  was  received,"  &c.  And 
what  becomes  of  the  priests,  with  their  oath.  That  they 
neither  ought  nor  will  interpret  the  scripture  but  according 
to  the  universal  consent  of  the  fathers,  so  called.'*  For  it  is 
as  easy  to  obscure  the  sun  at  mid-day,  as  to  deny  that  the 
primitive  Christians  renounced  all  revenge  and  war. 

And  altlough  this  thing  be  so  much  known,  yet  it  is  as, 
well  known  that  almost  all  the  modern  sects  live  in  the 
neglect  and  contempt  of  this  law  of  Christ,  and  likewise 
44*  3<i 


522 


PROPOSITION  XV. 


oppress  others,  who  in  this  agree  not  with  ihem  for  con- 
Peisccu-  science'  sake  towards  God  :  even  as  we  have  suffered  much 
beari*ng  country,  because  we  neither  could  ourselves  bea. 

iirms,  and   arms,  nor  send  others  in  our  place,  nor  give  our  money 

not  lasting    ^       .      i      •  /■    i  i     i  f  • 

»n<l  praying  lor  the  buymg  ot  drums,  standards,  and  other  military 

for  victory,  gi^jj^g^  lastly,  Because  we  could  not  hold  our  doors, 

windows,  and  shops  close,  for  conscience'  sake,  upon  such 
days  as  fasts  ana  prayers  were  appointed,  to  desire  a  bless- 
ing upon,  and  success  for,  the  arms  of  the  kingdom  or 
commonwealth  under  which  we  live ;  neither  give  thanks 
for  the  victories  acquired  by  the  effusion  of  much  blood. 
By  which  forcing  of  the  conscience,  they  would  have  con- 
strained our  brethren,  living  in  divers  kingdoms  at  war 
together,  to  have  implored  our  God  for  contrary  and  con- 
tradictory things,  and  consequently  impossible :  for  it  is 
impossible  that  two  parties  fighting  together,  should  both 
obtain  the  victory.  And  because  we  cannot  concur  with 
them  in  this  confusion,  therefore  we  are  subject  to  per- 
secution. Yea,  and  others,  who  with  us  do  witness  that 
the  use  of  arms  is  unlawful  to  Christians,  do  look  asquint 
upon  us  ;  but  which  of  us  two  do  most  faithfully  observe 
this  testimony  against  arms.''  Either  they,  who  at  certain 
times,  at  the  magistrate's  order,  do  close  up  their  shops 
and  houses,  and  meet  in  their  assembly,  praying  for  the 
prosperity  of  their  arms,  or  giving  thanks  for  some  victory 
or  other,  whereby  they  make  themselves  like  to  those  that 
approve  wars  and  fighting ;  or  we,  who  cannot  do  these 
things  for  the  same  cause  of  conscience,  lest  we  should 
destroy,  by  our  works,  what  we  establish  in  words,  we 
shall  leave  to  the  judgment  of  all  prudent  men. 

QtricT.  Fifthly,  They  object,  That  Christ,  Luke  xxii.  36,  speak- 
ing to  his  disciples,  commands  them.  That  he  that  then  had 
not  a  sword,  should  sell  his  coat,  and  buy  a  sword ;  there- 
fore, say  they,  arms  are  lawful. 

Aksw-  I  answer.  Some  indeed  understand  this  of  the  outward 

sword,  nevertheless  regarding  only  that  occasion  ;  other- 
wise judgrng,  that  Christians  are  prohibited  wars  under  the 
gospel.    Among  which  is  Ambrose,  who  upon  this  place 


OF  SALUTATIONS  AND  KECREATIONS. 


623 


spehks  thus :  "  0  Loid  !  why  commandest  thou  me  to  buy 
a  sword,  who  forbiddest  me  to  smite  with  it?  Why  com- 
mandest thou  me  to  have  it,  whom  thou  prohibitest  to  draw 
it?  Unless  perhaps  a  defence  be  prepared,  not  a  neces- 
sary revenge ;  and  that  I  may  seem  to  have  been  able  to 
revenge,  but  that  I  would  not.  For  the  law  forbids  me  to 
smite  again  ;  and  therefore  perhaps  he  said  to  Peter,  offer-  Peiei  offer 
ing  two  swords,  '  It  is  enough,'  as  if  it  had  been  lawful  swonds. 
until  the  gospel  times,  that  in  the  law  there  might  be  a 
learning  of  equity,  but  in  the  gospel  a  perfection  of  good- 
ness." Others  judge  Christ  to  have  spoken  here  mysti- 
cally, and  not  according  to  the  letter ;  as  Origen  upon 
Matt,  xix.,  saying,  "If  any  looking  to  the  letter,  and  not 
understanding  the  will  of  the  words,  shall  sell  his  bodily 
garment,  and  buy  a  sword,  taking  the  words  of  Christ  con- 
trary to  his  will,  he  shall  perish;  but  concerning  which 
sword  he  speaks,  is  not  proper  here  to  mention."  And 
truly  when  we  consider  the  answer  of  the  disciples,  "Mas- 
ter, behold  here  are  two  swords  ;"  understanding  it  of  out- 
ward swords  ;  and  again  Christ's  answer,  "It  is  enough:" 
it  seems  that  Christ  would  not  that  the  rest,  who  had  not 
swords  (for  they  had  only  two  swords),  should  sell  their 
coats,  and  buy  an  outward  sword.  Who  can  think  that, 
matters  standing  thus,  he  should  have  said.  Two  was 
enough?  But  however,  it  is  sufficient  that  the  use  of  arms 
is  unlawful  under  the  gospel. 

Sixthly,  They  object,  That  the  scriptures  and  old  fathers,  Objbci 
so  called,  did  only  prohibit  private  revenge,  not  the  use  of 
arms  for  the  defence  of  our  country,  body,  wives,  children, 
and  goods,  when  the  magistrate  commands  it,  seeing  the 
magistrate  ought  to  be  obeyed  ;  therefore  although  it  be 
not  lawful  for  private  men  to  do  it  of  themselves,  never- 
theless they  are  bound  to  do  it  by  the  command  of  the 
magistrate. 

I  answer.  If  the  magistrate  be  truly  a  Christian,  or  de-  Amn 
sires  to  be  so,  he  ought  himself,  in  the  first  place,  to  obey 
the  command  of  his  master,  saying,  "  Love  your  enemies," 
&€.,  and  then  he  could  not  command  us  to  kill  them :  jut 


524 


PROPOSITION  XV. 


Christian  if  he  be  iiot  a  true  Christian,  then  ought  we  to  obey  oui 
ou^t'to*^^  Lord  and  King,  Jesus  Christ,  whom  he  ought  also  Ij  obey  : 
obey  the  (qj.  jjj  kingdom  of  Christ  all  ought  to  submit  to  his 
command  i     i  •  i  • 

of  their      laws,  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest,  that  is,  from  the  king 

Christ?      to  the  beggar,  and  from  Csesar  to  the  clown.    But  alas! 

where  shall  we  find  such  an  obedience  ?  O  deplorable  fall ' 
Lud.  Vives  concerning  which  Ludov.  Viv.  writes  well,  lib.  le  con. 
irms*.^'  vit.  Christ,  sub.  Turc,  by  relation  of  Fredericus  Sylvius, 
Disc,  de  Revol.  Belg.,  p.  85:  "The  prince  entered  into 
the  church,  not  as  a  true  and  plain  Christian,  which  had 
indeed  been  most  happy  and  desirable  ;  but  he  brought  in 
with  him  his  nobility,  his  honours,  his  ARMS,  his  ensigns, 
his  triumphs,  his  haughtiness,  his  pride,  his  supercilious- 
ness, that  is,  he  came  into  the  house  of  Christ,  accom- 
panied with  the  devil ;  and  which  could  no  ways  be  done  ; 
he  would  have  joined  two  houses  and  two  cities  together, 
God's  and  the  devil's,  which  could  not  more  be  done  than 
Rome  and  Constantinople,  which  are  distant  by  so  long  a 
tract  both  of  sea  and  land.  What  communion,  saith  Paul, 
is  there  betwixt  Christ  and  Belial  ?  Their  zeal  cooled  by 
degrees,  their  faith  decreased,  their  whole  piety  degene- 
rated ;  instead  whereof  we  make  now  use  of  shadows  and 
images,  and,  as  he  saith,  I  would  we  could  but  retain 
these."  Thus  far  Vives.  But  lastly,  as  to  what  relates  to 
this  thing,  since  nothing  seems  more  contrary  to  man's 
nature,  and  seeing  of  all  things  the  defence  of  one's  self 
seems  most  tolerable,  as  it  is  most  hard  to  men,  so  it  is  the 
most  perfect  part  of  the  Christian  religion,  as  that  wherein 
the  denial  of  self  and  entire  confidence  in  God  doth  most 
appear ;  and  therefore  Christ  and  his  apostles  left  us  hereof 
Concerning  a  most  perfect  example.  As  to  what  relates  to  the  present 
maXuaU's  'n^g'strates  of  the  Christian  world,  albeit  we  deny  them 
of  the       not  altogether  the  name  of  Christians,  because  of  the  public 

Christian  ,■     •        i  i        r  i^i    ■    ■)  i    i  n 

world.  profession  they  make  of  Christ  s  name,  yet  we  may  boldly 
affirm,  that  they  are  far  from  the  perfection  of  the  Christian 
religion  ;  because  in  the  state  in  which  they  are  (as  in 
many  places  before  I  have  largely  observed),  they  have  not 
come  to  the  pure  dis])ensation  of  the  gospel.    And  there- 


t 


or  SALUTATIONS  AND  UFCRKATIONS.  52fi 

fore,  while  they  are  in  that  condition,  we  shall  not  say, 
That  war,  undertaken  upon  a  just  occasion,  is  altogether 
unlawful  to  them.  For  even  as  circumcision  and  the  other 
ceremonies  were  for  a  season  permitted  to  the  Jews,  not 
because  they  were  either  necessary  of  themselves,  or  law- 
ful at  that  time,  after  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  but  be- 
cause that  Spirit  was  not  yet  raised  up  in  them,  whereby 
lliey  could  be  delivered  from  such  rudiments  ;  so  the  pre- 
sent confessors  of  the  Christian  name,  who  are  yet  in  the 
mixture,  and  not  in  the  patient  suffering  spirit,  are  not  yet 
fitted  for  this  form  of  Christianity,  and  therefore  cannot  be 
undefending  themselves  until  they  attain  that  perfection. 
But  for  such  whom  Christ  has  brought  hither,  it  is  not 
lawful  to  defend  themselves  by  arms,  but  they  ought  over 
all  to  trust  to  the  Lord. 

§  XVI.  But  Lastly,  to  conclude,  If  to  give  and  receive  rhe  coi 
flattering  titles,  which  are  not  used  because  of  the  virtues "^""^ 
inherent  in  the  persons,  but  are  for  the  most  part  bestowed 
by  wicked  men  upon  such  as  themselves  ;  if  to  bow, 
scrape,  and  cringe  to  one  another ;  if  at  every  time  to  call 
themselves  each  others'  humble  servants,  and  that  most 
frequently  without  any  design  of  real  service  ;  if  this  be 
the  honour  that  comes  from  God,  and  not  the  honour  that 
is  from  below,  then  indeed  our  adversaries  may  be  said 
to  be  believers,  and  we  condemned  as  proud  and  stubborn, 
in  denying  all  these  things. 

But  if  with  Mordecai,  to  refuse  to  bow  to  proud  Haman,  Esther  lu 
and  with  Elihu  not  to  give  flattering  titles  to  men,  'f st  ^^^^^ 
we  should  be  reproved  of  our  Maker;  and  if,  according  21,  22. 
to  Peter's  example  and  the  angel's  advice,  to  bow  only  to 
God,  and  not  to  our  fellow-servants ;  and  if  to  call  no  man 
lord  nor  master,  except  under  particular  relations,  accord- 
ing to  Christ's  command  ;  I  say,  if  these  things  are  not  to 
be  reproved,  then  are  we  not  blameworthy  in  so  doing. 

If  to  te  vain  and  gaudy  in  apparel ;  if  to  paint  the  face 
and  plait  the  hair ;  if  to  be  clothed  with  gold  and  silver, 
and  precious  stones  ;  and  if  to  be  filled  with  ribands  and 
lace  be  to  be  clothed  in  modest  apparel ;  and  if  these  be 


PROPOSITION  XV. 


the  ornaments  of  Christians ;  and  if  that  be  to  be  humble, 
meek,  and  mortified,  then  are  our  adversaries  good  Chris 
tians  indeed,  and  we  proud,  singular,  and  conceited,  in 
contenting  ourselves  with  what  need  and  conveniency  calls 
for,  and  condemning  what  is  more  as  superfluous  :  buf  not 
otherwise. 

If  to  use  games,  sports,  plays  ;  if  to  card,  dice,  and 
dance  ;  if  to  sing,  fiddle,  and  pipe  ;  if  to  use  stage-plays 
and  comedies,  and  to  lie,  counterfeit,  and  dissemble, 
be  to  fear  always  ;  and  if  that  be  to  do  all  things  to  the 
glory  of  God  ;  and  if  that  be  to  pass  our  sojourning  here 
in  fear ;  and  if  that  be  to  use  this  world  as  if  we  did  not 
use  it ;  and  if  that  be  not  to  fashion  ourselves  according 
to  our  former  lusts  ;  to  be  not  conformable  to  the  spirit 
and  vain  conversation  of  this  world  ;  then  are  our  adver- 
saries, notwithstanding  they  use  these  things,  and  plead  for 
them,  very  good,  sober,  mortified,  and  self-denying  Chris- 
tians, and  we  justly  to  be  blamed  for  judging  them:  but 
not  otherwise. 

If  the  profanation  of  the  holy  name  of  God  ;  if  to  exact 
oaths  one  from  another  upon  every  light  occasion  ;  if  to 
call  God  to  witness  in  things  of  such  a  nature,  in  which 
no  earthly  king  would  think  himself  lawfully  and  honour- 
ably to  be  a  witness,  be  the  duties  of  a  Christian  man,  I 
shall  confess  that  our  adversaries  are  excellent  good  Chris- 
tians, and  we  wanting  in  our  duty  :  but  if  the  contrary  be 
true,  of  necessity  our  obedience  to  God  in  this  thing  must 
be  acceptable. 

If  to  revenge  ourselves,  or  to  render  injury,  evil  for 
evil,  wound  for  wound,  to  take  eye  for  eye,  tooth  for 
tooth  ;  if  to  fight  for  outward  and  perishing  things,  to  go  a 
warring  one  against  another,  whom  we  never  saw,  with 
whom  we  never  had  any  contest,  nor  any  thing  to  do ; 
being  moreover  altogether  ignorant  of  the  cause  of  the  war, 
but  only  that  the  magistrates  of  the  nations  foment  quar- 
rels one  against  another,  the  causes  whereof  are  for  the 
most  part  unknown  to  the  soldiers  that  fight,  as  well  as 
upon  whose  side  the  right  or  wrong  is;  and  yet  to  be  so 


OK  SALUTATIONS  AND  RECREATIONS. 


furious,  and  rage  one  against  another,  to  destroy  and  spoil 
all,  that  this  or  the  other  worship  may  be  received  or 
abolished;  if  to  do  this,  and  much  naoreof  this  kind,  be  to 
fulfi  the  law  of  Christ,  then  are  our  adversaries  indeed  true 
Christians,  and  we  miserable  heretics,  that  suffer  ourselves 
to  be  spoiled,  taken,  imprisoned,  banished,  beaten,  and 
evilly  entreated,  without  any  resistance,  placing  our  trust 
only  in  GOD,  that  he  may  defend  us,  and  lead  us  by  the 
way  of  the  cross  unto  his  kingdom.  But  if  it  be  other- 
ways,  we  shall  certainly  receive  the  reward  which  the  Lord 
hath  promised  to  those  that  cleave  to  him,  and,  in  denying 
themselves,  confide  in  him. 

And  to  sum  up  all,  if  to  use  all  these  things,  and  many 
more  that  might  be  instanced,  be  to  walk  in  the  strait  way 
that  leads  to  life,  be  to  take  up  the  cross  of  Christ,  be  to 
die  with  him  to  the  lusts  and  perishing  vanities  of  this  w  orld, 
and  to  arise  with  him  in  newness  of  life,  and  sit  down  with 
him  in  the  heavenly  places,  then  our  adversaries  may  be 
accounted  such,  and  they  need  not  fear  they  are  in  the 
broad  way  that  leads  to  destruction,  and  we  are  greatly 
mistaken,  that  have  laid  aside  all  these  things  for  Christ's 
sake,  to  the  crucifying  of  our  own  lusts,  and  to  the  pro- 
curing to  ourselves  shame,  reproach,  hatred,  and  ill-will 
from  the  men  of  this  world :  not  as  if  by  so  doing  we  judged 
to  merit  heaven,  but  as  knowing  they  are  contrary  to  the 
will  of  Him  who  redeems  his  children  from  the  love  of  this 
world,  and  its  lusts,  and  leads  them  in  the  ways  of  truth 
and  holiness,  in  which  they  take  delight  to  walk 


THE 

CONCLUSION. 


If  in  God's  fear,  candid  reader,  thou  appliest  thyself  to 
consider  this  system  of  religion  here  delivered,  with  its 
consistency  and  harmony,  as  well  in  itself  as  with  the 
scriptures  of  truth,  I  doubt  not  but  thou  wilt  say  with  me 
and  many  more,  that  this  is  the  spiritual  day  of  Christ's 
appearance,  wherein  he  is  again  revealing  the  ancient 
paths  of  truth  and  righteousness.  For  thou  mayest  ob- 
serve here  the  Christian  religion  in  all  its  parts  truly  estab- 
lished and  vindicated,  as  it  is  a  living,  inward,  spiritual, 
pure,  and  substantial  thing,  and  not  a  mere  form,  show, 
shadow,  notion,  and  opinion,  as  too  many  have  hitherto 
held  it,  whose  fruits  declare  they  wanted  that  which  they 
bear  the  name  of :  and  yet  many  of  those  are  so  in  love 
with  their  empty  forms  and  shadows,  that  they  cease  not 
to  calumniate  us  for  commending  and  callino;  them  to  the 
substance,  as  if  we  therefore  denied  or  neglected  the  true 
form  and  outward  part  of  Christianity,  which  indeed  is, 
as  God  the  searcher  of  hearts  knows,  a  very  great  slander. 
Thus,  because  we  have  desired  people  earnestly  to  foe! 
after  God  near  and  in  themselves,  telling  them  that  their 
notions  of  God,  as  he  is  beyond  the  clouds,  will  little  avail 
them,  if  they  do  not  feel  him  near;  hence  they  have  sought 
maliciously  to  infer  that  we  deny  any  God  except  that 
which  is  within  us.  Because  we  tell  people,  that  it  is  the 
light  and  law  within,  and  not  the  letter  without,  that  can 
truly  tell  them  their  condition,  and  lead  them  out  of  all 
evil ;  hence  they  say,  we  vilify  the  scriptures,  and  set  up 
our  own  imaginations  above  them.  Because  we  tell  them, 
tJhat  it  is  not  their  talking  or  believing  of  Christ's  outwa'-d 


THE  CONCLUSION. 


52» 


life,  sufferings,  death,  and  resurrection,  no  more  than  the 
Jews  crying,  "  the  temple  of  the  Lord,  the  temple  of  the 
Lord,"  that  will  serve  their  turn,  or  justify  them  in  the 
sight  of  God ;  but  that  they  must  know  Christ  in  them, 
whom  they  have  crucified,  to  be  raised,  and  to  justify 
them,  and  redeem  them  from  their  iniquities :  hence  they 
saj',  we  deny  the  life,  death,  and  sufferings  of  Christ,  justi- 
fication by  his  blood,  and  remission  of  sins  through  him. 
Because  we  tell  them,  while  they  are  talking  and  determin- 
ing about  the  resurrection,  that  they  have  more  need  to 
knew  the  Just  One,  whom  they  have  slain,  raised  in  them- 
selves, and  to  be  sure  they  are  partakers  of  the  first  resur- 
rection ;  and  that  if  this  be,  they  will  be  the  more  capable 
to  judge  of  the  second  :  hence  they  say,  that  we  deny  the 
resurrection  of  the  body.  Because  when  we  hear  them 
talk  foolishly  of  heaven  and  hell,  and  the  last  judgment, 
we  exhort  them  to  come  out  of  that  hellish  condition  they 
are  in,  and  come  down  to  the  judgment  of  Christ  in  their 
own  hearts,  and  believe  in  the  light,  and  follow  it,  that  so 
they  may  come  to  sit  in  the  heavenly  places  that  are  in 
Christ  Jesus :  hence  they  maliciously  say,  that  we  deny 
any  heaven  or  hell  but  that  which  is  within  us,  and  that 
we  deny  any  general  judgment;  which  slanders  the  Lord 
knows  are  foully  cast  upon  us,  whom  God  hath  raised  for 
this  end,  and  gathered  us,  that  by  us  he  might  confound 
the  wisdom  of  the  wise,  and  bring  to  nought  the  under- 
standing of  the  prudent ;  and  might,  in  and  by  his  own 
Spirit  and  power  in  a  despised  people  (that  no  flesh  might 
glory  in  bis  presence),  pull  down  that  dead,  dark,  corrupt 
image,  and  mere  shadow  and  shell  of  Christianity  where- 
with Antichrist  hath  deceived  the  nations:  for  which  end 
he  hath  called  us  to  be  a  first-fruits  of  those  that  serve  him, 
and  worship  him  no  more  in  the  oldness  of  the  letter,  but 
in  \\  newness  of  the  Spirit.  And  though  we  be  few  in 
numbt  r  in  respect  of  others,  and  weak  as  to  outward 
strength  which  we  also  altogether  reject,  and  foolish  if 
compared  with  the  wise  ones  of  this  world  ;  yet  as  God 
hath  prospered  us,  notwithstanding  much  opposition,  so 
45  3h 


THE  CONCLUSION. 


will  he  yet  Jo,  tliat  neither  the  art,  wisdom,  nor  violence 
of  men  or  devils  shall  be  able  to  quench  that  little  spark 
that  hath  appeared;  but  it  shall  grow  to  the  consuming  of 
whatsoever  shall  stand  up  to  oppose  it.  The  mouth  of  the 
Lord  hath  spoken  it !  yea,  he  that  hath  arisen  in  a  small 
remnant  shall  arise  and  go  on  by  the  same  arm  of  power 
in  his  spiritual  manifestation,  until  he  hath  conquered  all 
his  enemies,  until  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth  become  the 
kingdom  of  Christ  Jesus. 

Unto  Him  that  hath  begun  this  work,  not  among  the  rich 
or  great  ones,  but  among  the  poor  and  small,  and  hath 
revealed  it  not  to  the  wise  and  learned,  but  unto  the 
poor,  unto  babes  and  sucklings;  even  to  him,  the  Only- 
wise  and  Omnipotent  GOD,  be  Honour,  Glory,  Thanks- 
giving, and  renown,  from  henceforth  and  for  ever. 
Amen.  HaUelu-JAH. 


TABLE  OV  THE  AUTHORS  CITED  IN  THIS  BOOK. 


A. 

Alanus  Page  412 

Amandns  Polaniis  226 

An.brosiii.s  Ansbeitus  513 

Ambrosius  Mediolaneusis  126,  465, 
466,  513,  516 

Amesius  227,  451 

Anselmiis,  Bishop  of  Canterbury  513 

Antiocluis  ibid. 

Apolliiiarius  137 

Alhaiiasius  31,  464,  465,  507,  512, 

516 

Aiigiistinus  30,57,86,98,  146,  185, 
187,  213,  243,  248,  411,  414, 
513,  516 

Aiillior  lie  vocat.  Gentium  126 

B. 

Basil  the  Great  506,  512 

Beda  513 

Bellarmine  197,  464 

Bernard  32,  355,  367 

Bertius  225 

Beza   114,210 

Boraeus   211,  216 

Bucerus  211 

Buchanan  187 

Bullinger  210 

C. 

Calvin  52,53,74,82,  114,213,225, 
303,  3-27,  402,  419,  421,  422, 
437,  449,  468,  483 

C?.r!)l()sia(liiis  467 

Casaubonus   .  485 

Cassiodorns  513 

Castcllio  468 

Calechism  of  Westminster  230 

Clianiierus  210 

Chemnitius  213 

Cliristianns  Druthmarus  513 

Clironiaiius  513,  516 


Chrysostom  126,  453,  507, 513,516 

Cicero   184 

Claudius  Albertus  Inuncunanus.217 
Clemens  Alexandrinus  31,  166,  167, 
168,  185,  512,  520 
Conference  of  Oldenb,  El.  D.  .  .228 
Confession  of  Augsburgli .  .228,  251 

 the  French  Churches  74 

 -Faith  of  the  Churches 

of  Holland  75 

 the   Divines  at  West- 
minster  75,  82,  193 

Council  of  Aszansic  248 

 Carthage   75 

  Florence  63 

 •  Laodicea  75 

 Trent  109,  226,  467 

Cvprian  466,  512,  516 

Cvrillus  Alexandrinus  32,  155,  160, 
161,513,516 

D. 

Dallaeus  448 

Diodorus  Siculus  511 

E. 

Epictetus  27 

Epiphanius   85,  513 

Erasmus   487,  513,  516 

Estius  217 

Eusebius    62 

Euthymius  513  516 

Eutyches   137 

F. 

Forbes   212 

Franciscus  Lambertus  .  . .  .286  361 

Fredericus  Sylvius  520  524 

G. 

Gelasius   248 

Gentiletus    226 

Gerardus  Vossius         1 62,  228  e5 1 

Godean   487  188 

Gregory  the  Great   '{J 

(531) 


A  TABLE  OF  THE  AUTHORS. 


532 

Gregorius  Nazianzemis  512 

Gregorius  Nyssenus  ihid. 

llaimo  513 

Hierom  31,  85,  89,  248,  465,  483, 
508,  513,  516 

[[ilarius  465,  466,  512 

Ilildebrand  463 

Himelius   217 

History  of  the  Council  of  Trent  467 

 Reformation  of  France  482 

Ifosius  466 

Hugo  Grotius  506,  512 

I. 

James  Coret  225 

Juiiies  Howel  487 

Johannes  Damascenus  513 

Johannes  Ferus  516 

Johannes  Floracensis  412 

John  Hus   96 

Isidorus  Hispaleasis  513 

  Pelusiota  ibid. 

Justin  Martyr  168,  185,  512,  516. 

518,521 

L. 

Lactantius   184 

Lucas  Osiander  128,  293 

Ludovicus  Vives  ....  185,  516,  524 
Luther  32,  127,  190,  192,268,467, 
468,  487 

M. 

Martianus   465,  466 

Martyr  1 14 

Melancthon  32,  21 1,  251 

Musculus  225 

N. 

IVicolaus  Arnoldus  of  Franequer  267, 
268,  287,  289,  310,  324,  326, 


400,  413 

O. 

(Ecumenius  513 

Origen.  .33,34,295,  512,  516,  523 
Oth<>  Brun.sfelsius  513 


P. 

Papirius  Masson   412 

Paraeus  114,  207 

Paschasius  Radbertus   513 

Paulus  Riccius   408,  432 

Philo  Juda;us  512,  518 

Phocylides  185 

Piscator  114 

Pithasus  412 

Platina  277 

Plato  184,  512 

Plotinus  184 

Polybius  506 

Polycarpus   62,512 

Prosper   125 

Pythagoras   184,  511 

^- 

Quintilianus  512 

Quintus  Curtius  511 

R. 

Reinerius  475 

Richard  Baxter  217,  227 

S. 

Seneca  184 

Smith,  Doctor  in  Cambridge  ....  33 

Stobaeus  511 

Sulpitius  Severus  521 

Synod  Arelatensian  126 

  of  Dort  75,  113 

T. 

Tertullian  31,  466,  512,  516,  518, 

519 

Theophylactus   513 

Thomas  Aquinas  57,  58 

Thysius  209 

V. 

Victor  Antiochenus  162 

Vincentius  Lyrinensis  52 1 

W. 

Waldenses   313 

Wicklifle   .Md. 

Z. 

Zanchius  114.  209,  213,  227 

Zuinglius  ,109.  114,  217 


A  TABLE  OP 

THE  CHIEF  THINGS. 


Jthrahan^s  Faith,  43. 

Mam  ;  see  Man,  S/'n,  Redeinp- 
fion.  What  liappiness  he  lost  by  the 
fali,  99.  Wliat  death  he  died,  ibid. 
He  retained  in  his  nature  no  will  or 
light  capable  of  itself  to  manifest 
spiritual  things,  ibid.  Whether  there 
be  any  relics  of  the  heavenly  image 
left  in  him,  1U3,  141. 

Jllesandtr  Skein'' s  queries  pro- 
posed to  the  preachers,  373,  374. 

Jlnabaplisls  of  Great  Britain.  63, 
348. 

Anabaptists  of  Munster,  how  their 
miscliievous  actings  nothing  touch 
the  Quakers,  Gl  to  65. 

Anicetus^  62. 

Anointing.,  the  anointing  teacheth 
all  things ;  it  is  and  abidelh  for  ever 
a  common  privilege,  and  sure  rule  to 
all  saints,  59,  60. 

Antichrist  is  exalted  when  the  seed 
of  God  is  pressed,  142.  His  work, 
299,  300,  3t)5,  306. 

Antinomians,  their  opinion  con- 
cerning justification,  200. 

Apostasy,  249,  296. 

Apostle,  who  he  is,  their  number 
was  not  limited,  and  whether  any 
may  be  nou-a-days  so  called,  301, 
302,  31)3,  304. 

Appearances  ;  see  Faith. 

Arums,  they  first  brought  in  the 
doctrine  of  persecution  upon  the  ac- 
count of  rel'gion,  465. 

Arius,  by  what  he  fell  into  error, 
295,  296. 

Arminiuns ;  see  Remonstrants. 

Assemblings  are  needful,  and  vhat 
46  • 


sort,  325,  326,  &c.,  see  fVorskip , 
they  are  not  to  be  forsaken,  341. 
Astronomer,  69. 

Aure/ia,  there  ten  canonics  were 
burnt,  and  why,  412. 

B. 

Baptism  is  one,  its  definition,  380, 
383  to  390.  It  is  the  baptism  of 
Christ,  and  of  the  Spirit,  not  of  wa- 
ter, 390  to  393.  Tlie  baptism  of 
water,  which  was  John's  baptism, 
was  a  figure  of  this  baptism,  and  is 
not  to  be  continued,  393  to  413. 

Baptism  with  water  doth  not 
cleanse  the  heart,  384,  395.  Nor  is 
it  a  badge  of  Christianity,  as  was 
circumcision  to  the  Jews,  398,  410. 
That  Paul  was  not  sent  to  baptize  is 
explained,  398  to  41)0.  Concerning 
what  baptism  Christ  speaks.  Mat 
xxviii.  19,  it  is  explained,  401.  How 
the  apostles  baptized  with  water  is 
explained,  404  to  408.  To  baptize 
signifies  to  plunge,  and  how  sprin- 
kling was  brought  in,  408,  409. 
Those  of  old  that  used  water  bap- 
tism were  plunged,  and  they  that 
were  only  sprinkled  were  not  ad- 
mitted to  an  ecclesiastical  function, 
and  why,  409.  Against  the  use  of 
water  baptism  many  heretofore  have 
testified,  412. 

Infant  Baptism^  is  a  mere  human 
tradition,  381,  413. 

Bible,  the  last  translations  always 
find  faidt  with  tlie  first,  81. 

Birth,lhe.  spiritual  birth, 71.  Holy 
birth,  343;  ^ee  Juslif  cation. 

Bishop  of  Rome,  concerning  his 
^633; 


534 


A   TABLE  OF  THE  CHIEF  THINGS. 


primacy,  62,  63.  How  he  abused 
his  authority,  ami  by  what  he  de- 
posed princes,  and  absolveth  the 
people  from  the  oath  of  fldehty,  463, 
467. 

Blond,  to  alistaiii  from  blood  and 
thiiiijs  stranjrled,  444. 

Blood  of  Christ ;  see  Commu- 
nion. 

Body,  to  bow  the  body;  see 
ITend. 

Books  Canonical  and  Apocry- 
phal ;  see  Canon,  Scripture. 

Bonaveiilure,  328. 

Bow,  to  bow  the  knee ;  see  Un- 
cover the  Head. 

Bread,  the  breaking  of  bread 
among  the  .lews  was  no  singular 
thing,  432,  436.  It  is  now  other- 
ways  performed  than  it  was  by 
Christ,  436.  Whether  unleavened 
or  leavened  bread  is  to  be  used ; 
also  it  is  liotlv  disputed  about  the 
manner  of  taking  it,  and  to  whom 
it  is  to  be  given,  437,  438.  See 
Communion. 

C. 

Calvinisis ;  see  Protestants.  They 
deny  consubstantiation,  63.  They 
maintain  absolute  reprobation,  ibid. 
They  think  grace  is  a  certain  irre- 
sistible power,  and  what  sort  of  a 
Saviour  they  would  have,  171,  172. 
Of  the  (lesh  and  Iilood  of  Christ, 
419,  421,  422.  They  use  leavened 
bread  in  the  supper,  437. 

Canon,  whether  the  scripture  be 
a  hlled-up  canon,  91,  95.  Whether 
it  can  be  proved  liy  scripture  that 
any  book  is  canonical,  95,  96. 

CastcUio  i)anished,  468. 

Ceremonies ;  see  Superstition. 

Christ ;  see  Cotnmunion,  Justijica- 
lion.  Redemption,  Word. — He  show- 
eth  himself  daily,  revealing  the 
knowledge  of  the  Father,  3  1 .  With- 
out  his    school    there  is  nothing 


learned  but  busy  talkuig,  32.  He  ii 
the  Eternal  Word,  36.  No  crea- 
ture hath  access  to  God  but  by  him, 
36,  37.  He  is  the  Way,  the  Truth, 
and  the  Life,  37.  He  is  the  Mediatoi 
between  God  and  man,  37,  195.  He 
is  God,  and  i)i  time  he  was  made 
partaker  of  man's  nature,  37.  The 
same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  fo 
ever,  47.  The  fathers  believed  in 
him,  and  how,  46.  His  sheep  heai 
his  voice,  and  contemn  the  voice  of 
a  stranger,  75,  284,  286.  It  is  the 
fruit  of  his  ascension  to  send  pastors, 
88.  He  dwelleth  in  the  saints,  and 
how,  137.  His  coming  was  neces- 
sary, 139.  By  his  sacrifice  we  have 
remission  of  sins,  139,  177,  178, 
194,  195.  Whether  he  be,  and  how 
he  is  in  all  men,  is  explained,  140. 
Being  formed  within,  he  is  the  formal 
cause  of  justification,  188,  189,213. 
By  his  life,  death,  &.C.,  he  hath 
oj)ened  a  way  for  reconciliation,  2 1 5, 
216,  217.  His  obedience,  righte- 
ousness, death,  and  suflerings  are 
ours ;  and  it  is  explained  that  Paul 
said,  "  He  filled  up  that  which  was 
behind  of  the  afflictions  of  Christ 
in  his  flesh,"  197.  How  we  are 
partakers  of  his  suflxirings,  241. 
For  what  end  he  was  manifested, 
234,  235,  236.  He  delivers  his  own 
by  suflering,  236.  Concerning  hi.s 
outward  and  spiritual  body,  4 1  i>, 
417.  Concerning  his  outward  and 
inward  coming,  442,  443. 

Christian,  how  he  is  a  Christian, 
and  when  he  ceaseth  so  to  be,  29, 
34,  35,  50,  51  to  55,211,  270  to 
273,  282,  283.  The  foundation  of 
his  faith,  70.  His  privdege,  71. 
When  men  were  made  Christians  by 
birth,  and  not  by  conversion,  261, 
262.  They  have  borrowed  many 
things  from  Jews  and  Gentiles,  382, 
383.  They  departed  by  little  and 
I  little  from  their  first  puri'-y,  44  J 


A  TABLE   OF  THE  CHIEF  THINGS. 


535 


024.  The  primitive  Christians  for 
some  ages  said,  We  are  Christians, 
we  swear  not,  511.  And,  We  are 
the  soldiers  of  Christ,  it  is  not  law- 
ful for  us  to  fight,  52 1 . 

Christianity  is  made  as  an  art,  34. 
It  is  not  Christianity  without  the 
Spirit,  49  to  53.  It  would  be  turn- 
ed into  scepticism,  292.  It  is 
placed  chiefly  in  the  renewing  of 
the  heart,  263.  Wherein  it  con- 
sists not,  339.  What  is  and  is  not 
\\\-  mark  thereof,  398,  410,  411. 
Why  it  is  odious  to  Jews,  Turks, 
and  Heathen,  421.  What  would 
contribute  to  its  commendation, 
479. 

Churchy  without  which  there  is 
no  salvation  ;  what  she  is ;  concern- 
ing her  members,  visibility,  profes- 
sion, degeneration,  succession,  257 
to  281.  Whatsoever  is  done  in  the 
church  without  the  instinct  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  is  vain  and  impious,  286. 
The  same  may  be  said  of  her  as  was 
in  the  schools  of  Thcseus's  boat, 
306.  In  her,  corrections  ought  to 
be  exercised,  and  against  whom, 
452,  453.  She  is  more  corrupted  by 
the  accession  of  hypocrites,  461. 
The  contentions  of  the  Greek  and 
Latin  churches  about  unleavened  or 
leavened  bread  in  the  supper,  437. 
The  lukewarmness  of  the  church  of 
Laodicea,  271.  There  are  intro- 
luced  into  the  Roman  church  no 
.ess  superstitions  and  ceremonies 
than  among  heathen  and  Jews,  262. 

Circumcision^  a  seal  of  the  old 
covenant,  410. 

Clergi/,  300  to  303,  305,  315, 
■116,  437,  438. 

Clothes,  that  it  is  not  lawfid  for 
Cliristians  to  use  things  superfluous 
m  clothes,  492  to  495,  525. 

Comforter,  for  what  end  he  was 
sent,  31 ,  32,  33. 

Commission^  the  commission  of 


the  disciples  of  Christ  before  tha 
work  was  finished  was  more  legal 
than  evangelical,  288. 

Comiiiunion,  the  conununion  if  the 
body  and  blood  of  Christ  is  a  spirit- 
ual and  inward  thing,  413.  That 
body,  that  blood  is  a  spiritual  thing, 
and  that  it  is  that  heavenly  seed, 
whereby  life  and  salvation  was  of 
old  and  is  now  communicated,  414, 
415.  How  any  becomes  partaker 
thereof,  419,  420.  It  is  not  tied  to 
the  ceremony  of  breaking  bread  and 
drinking  wine,  which  Christ  used 
with  his  disciples,  this  was  only  a 
figure,  414,  421  to  431.  Whether 
that  ceremony  be  a  necessary  part 
of  the  new  covenant,  and  whether  it 
is  to  be  continued,  43 1  to  449.  Spi- 
ritual communion  willi  God  is  ob- 
tained through  Christ,  99. 

Community  of  goods  is  not  brought 
in  by  the  Quakers,  452,  477,  478. 

Compliments ;  see  Titles. 

Conscience  ;  see  Magistrate. — Its 
definition,  what  it  is ;  it  is  distin- 
guished from  the  saving  light,  141 
to  146,  451.  The  good  conscience, 
and  the  hypocritical,  251,  252.  He 
that  acteth  contrary  to  his  conscience 
sinneth ;  and  concerning  an  erring 
conscience,  451.  What  things  ap- 
pertain to  conscience,  452.  What 
sort  of  liberty  of  conscience  is  de- 
fended, ibid.  It  is  the  tiirone  of 
God,  453.  It  is  free  from  the  power 
of  all  men,  468. 

Conversion,  what  is  man's  tiiere- 
in,  is  rather  a  passion  than  an  ac- 
tion, 146.  Augustine's  saying,  ilnd. 
This  is  cleared  by  two  examples, 
146,  147. 

Correct ion,\\ov/  and  against  whom 
it  ought  to  be  exercised,  452,  453. 

Covenant,  the  difFerence  betwixt 
the  new  and  old  covenant  worship, 
57,  324,  325,  350  to  353,  395  to 
397.    See  also  Law,  Gospel. 


536 


A  TABLE  OF  THE  CHIEF  THINGS. 


Cross^  the  sign  of  the  cross,  411. 
D. 

Dancing ;  see  Plays. 

Days,  whetlier  any  be  holy,  and 
concerning  the  clay  commonly  called 
the  Lord's  day,  327,  430. 

Deacons,  439. 

Death ;  see  Adam,  Redemption. 
—It  entered  into  the  world  by  sin, 
106,  107.  In  the  saints  it  is  rather 
a  passing  from  death  to  life,  108. 

Devil,  lie  cares  not  at  all  how 
much  God  be  acknowledged  with 
the  mouth,  provided  himself  be  wor- 
shipped in  the  heart,  34,  174.  H-e 
haunts  among  the  wicked,  236.  How 
he  may  seem  to  be  a  minister  of  the 
gospel,  297,  298.  When  he  can 
work  nothing,  315,  346.  He  keeps 
men  in  outward  signs,  shadows,  and 
forms,  while  they  neglect  the  sub- 
stance, 423,  424. 

Dispute,  the  dispute  of  the  shoe- 
maker with  a  certain  professor,  292. 
Of  an  heathen  pliilosopher  with  a 
bishop  in  the  coiniril  of  Nice,  and 
of  the  unlettered  clown,  293. 

Divinity,  school  divinity,  282. 
How  pernicious  it  is,  294  to  297. 

Dreams ;  see  Faith,  Miracles. 

E. 

Ear,  there  is  a  spiritual  and  a 
bodily  ear,  32,  45. 

Easier  is  celebrated  other  ways 
in  the  Latin  church  than  in  the 
Eastern,  62.  The  celebration  of  it 
is  grounded  upon  tradition,  ibid. 

Elders,  41,  305. 

Elector  of  Sa.rony,  the  scandal 
given  by  him,  375. 

Eminency,  Your  Eminency;  see 
Titles. 

Enoch  walked  with  God,  242. 
Epistle  ;  see  James,  John,  Peter. 
Esau,  335. 

Ethics,  or  books  of  moral  philo- 


sophy, are  not  needful  to  Chrislinni 
294. " 

Evangelist,  who  he  is,  and  whe- 
ther any  now-a-days  may  be  so 
called,  303. 

Eo-ceZ/enc)/,  Your  Excellency ;  see 
Titles. 

Exorcism,  411. 

F. 

Faith,  its  definition,  and  what  its 
object  is,  42  to  46.  How  far,  and 
how  appearances,  outward  voices, 
and  dreams  were  the  objects  of  the 
saints'  faith,  44.  That  faith  is  one, 
and  that  the  object  of  faith  is  one, 
46.  Its  foundation,  70.  See  Re- 
velation, Scripture. 

Farellus,  437. 

Father;  see  Knowledge,  Revela- 
tion, 42. 

Fathers,  so  called,  they  did  not 
agree  about  some  books  of  the  scrip, 
ture,  75,  85.  They  affirm  that  then 
are  whole  verses  taken  out  of  Mark 
and  Luke,  85.  Concerning  the  Sep- 
tuagint  interpretation,  and  the  He- 
brew copy,  85.  They  preached  uni- 
versal redemption  for  the  first  four 
centuries,  124,125.  They  frequent- 
ly used  the  word  merit  in  their  doc- 
trine, 226,  227,  228.  Concerning 
the  possibility  of  not  sinning,  248. 
The  possibility  of  falling  from  grace, 
251.  Many  of  them  did  not  only 
contradict  one  another,  but  them- 
selves also,  296.  Concerning  bap- 
tism, and  the  sign  of  the  cross,  411. 
Concerning  an  oath,  503. 

Feet,  concerning  the  washing  of 
one  another's  feet,  433  to  436. 

Franequer,  310. 

Freely,  the  gospel  ought  to  bf 
preached  freely,  309,  310,  311. 

G. 

Games ;  see  Sports. 
Gifted  brethren,  280. 


A  TABLK  OF  TH 


E  CHIEF  THINGS. 


537 


God,  how  he  hath  always  mani- 
ftsted  himself,  28.  Unless  he  speak 
within,  the  preacher  makes  a  rust- 
ling to  no  purpose,  32,  33.  None 
can  know  him  aright,  unless  he  re- 
ceive it  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  ihid. 
God  is  to  be  sought  within,  33.  He 
is  known  by  sensation,  and  not  by 
mere  speculation  and  syllogistic  de- 
monstrations, 33.  He  is  the  foun- 
tain, root,  and  beginning  of  all  good 
works,  and  he  hath  made  all  things 
by  his  eternal  word,  36.  God  speak- 
ing is  the  object  of  faith,  42.  Among 
all,  he  hath  his  own  chosen  ones, 
30.  He  delights  not  in  the  death  of 
the  wicked ;  see  Redemption.  He 
hath  manifested  his  love  in  sending 
his  son,  194,215,216;  see  Justi/l- 
calion.  He  rewards  the  good  works 
of  his  children,  226,  227.  Whether 
it  be  possible  to  keep  his  command- 
ments, 230,  231.  He  is  the  Lord, 
and  the  only  judge  of  the  conscience, 
450,  453.  He  will  have  a  free  ex- 
ercise, 460. 

Gospel;  see  Ttrdemption. — ^The 
truths  of  it  are  as  lies  in  the  mouths 
of  profane  and  carnal  men,  39,  40, 
The  nature  of  it  is  explained,  56, 
57.  It  is  distinguished  from  the 
law,  and  is  more  excellent  than  it, 
57,  77,  78 ;  see  Covenant,  Law. 
Whether  any  ought  to  preach  it  in 
"fiis  or  that  place,  is  not  found  in 
-cripturc,  280.  Its  M  orks  are  dis- 
tinguished from  the  workf?  of  the 
law,  220.  How  it  is  to  be  propa- 
gated, and  of  its  propagation,  454. 
The  worship  of  it  is  inward,  397. 
It  is  an  inward  power,  163. 

Grace,  the  grace  of  God  can  be 
lost  through  disobedience,  249,  &c. 
Saving  grace  [see  Rede rnpi ion)  which 
is  required  in  the  calling  and  quali- 
fying of  a  minister;  see  Mini:<ler. 
In  some  it  worketh  in  a  special  and 
prevalent  manner,  that  they  neces- 


sarily obtain  salvation,  148,  149 
Your  Grace ;  see  Titles. 

H. 

Hai  Ehcn  Yokdan,  186. 
Hands,  laying  on  of  hands,  281, 
445. 

Head,  of  uncovering  the  head  in 
salutations,  474,  477,  489  to  492, 
525. 

Heart,  the  heart  is  deceitful  and 
wicked,  82,  100,  101. 

Heathen,  albeit  they  were  igno- 
rant of  the  history,  yet  they  were 
sensible  of  the  loss  by  the  fall,  184. 
Some  heathen  would  not  swear,  511. 
Heathenish  ceremonies  were  brought 
into  the  Christian  religion,  411. 

Henry  IV.,  king  of  France,  463, 
464. 

Heresies,  whence  they  proceeded, 
339. 

Heretics,  456. 

High ;  see  Prie.-it. 

History  of  Christ;  see  Quakers, 
Redemption. 

Holy  of  Holies,  the  high  priest 
entered  into  it  once  a  year,  41,  58. 
But  now  all  of  us  at  all  times  have 
access  unto  God,  58. 

Holiness,  Your  Holiness ;  see 
Titles. 

Honour ;  see  Titles. 

Hypocrite,  456,  460,  461. 

I. 

Jacob,  335. 

James  the  Apostle,  there  were  of 
old  divers  opinions  concerning  his 
epistle,  75. 

Idolatry,  323,  324,  340.  Whencfl 
it  proceeded,  381. 

Jesting ;  see  Plays,  Games. 

Jesuits  ;  see  Sect,  Ignatian. 

Jesus :  see  Christ. — What  it  is  to 
be  saved,  and  to  be  assembled  in  his 
name,  178,  193,  331. 

Jews,  among  them  there  may  b« 

38 


538 


A  TABLE  OF  THE  CHIEF  THINGS. 


memboiB  of  the  church,  259.  Their 
error  concerning  the  outward  suc- 
cession Crom  Abraliaui,  269.  Their 
worship  is  outward,  397. 

lUitcrate  ;  see  Mechanics. 

Indulgences,  191. 

Infants ;  see  Sin. 

Iniquities,  spiritual  iniquities,  or 
wi'-kedness,  338. 

Inquisition,  402. 

Inspiration,  wliere  that  doth  not 
teach,  words  without  do  make  a 
noise  to  no  purpose,  31,  32. 

John  the  Apostle,  concerning  his 
second  and  third  epistles,  and  the 
revelation,  tliere  were  sometime  di- 
vers opinions,  75. 

John  the  Baptist  did  not  miracles, 
279. 

John  Hus  is  said  to  have  prophe- 
sied, 96. 

John  Kno.r,  in  what  respect  he 
was  called  the  apostle  of  Scotland, 
304. 

Judas  fell  from  his  apostleship, 
271.  Who  was  his  vicar,  286.  His 
ministry  was  not  purely  evangelical, 
288.  He  was  called  immediately  of 
Christ,  and  who  are  inferior  to  him, 
and  plead  for  him,  as  a  pattern  of 
their  ministry,  289. 

Just ijicaf ion,  tlie  doctrine  thereof 
is  and  hath  been  greatly  vitiated 
among  the  Papists,  189,  190,  191, 
and  wherein  we  jdace  it,  215,  216. 
liUtlierand  the  Protestants  with  good 
reason  opposed  the  Popish  doctrine, 
though  many  of  them  ran  soon  into 
another  extreme;  and  wherein  tliey 
place  it;  and  that  they  agree  in  one, 
192,  193,  198.    It  comes  from  the 
love  of  God,  194,  215.    To  justify, 
signifies  to  make  really  just,  not  to  j 
repute  just,  which  many  Protestants  j 
are  forced  to  acknowledge,  206,  207, ' 
209  to  213.     The  revelation  of  I 
Christ  formed,  in  the  heart  is  the 
'brmal   cause  of  justification,  not  | 


works  (to  speak  properly),  which 
are  only  an  effect,  and  so  also  many 
Protestants  have  said,  188,  189,  191 
to  194,  205  to  226.  We  are  justi- 
fied in  works,  and  how,  188,  189 
197,  198,  199,  218  to  226.  This  is 
so  far  from  being  a  Popish  doctrine, 
that  Bellarmine  and  others  opposed 
it,  197,  225,  226,  227. 

K. 

Kingdom  of  God,  355,  445,  454. 

Knowledge,  the  height  of  man's 
happiness  is  placed  in  tlie  true  know- 
ledge of  God,  13.  Error  in  the  en- 
trance of  this  knowledge  is  danger- 
ous, 25.  Superstition,  idolatry,  and 
thence  atheism,  have  proceeded  from 
the  false  and  feigned  opinions  con- 
cerning God,  and  the  knowledge  of 
him,  27.  The  uncertain  knowledge 
of  God  is  divers  ways  attained,  but 
the  true  and  certain  only  by  the  in- 
ward and  mimediate  revelation  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  30.  It  hath  been 
brought  out  of  use,  and  by  what  de- 
vices, 34,  35.  There  is  no  know- 
ledge of  the  Father  but  by  the  Son, 
nor  of  tfie  Son  but  by  the  Spirit,  27 
36  to  41.  The  knowledge  of  Christ, 
which  is  not  by  the  revelation  of  his 
Spirit  in  the  lieart,  is  no  more  the 
knovvledge  of  Christ,  than  the  prat 
tling  of  a  parrot,  which  hath  been 
taught  a  few  words,  may  be  .-^aid  to 
be  the  voice  of  a  man,  40. 


Laics,  301,  302. 

Laity,  305,  306,  307. 

Lake  of  Belhesda,  145. 

Low,  the  law  is  distinguished 
from  the  gospel,  57,  58,  397.  The 
diflerence  thereof,  57,  239,  240.  See 
Gospel. — Under  the  law  the  people 
were  not  in  any  doubt  who  should 
be  priests  and  ministers,  266.  Sec 
Minister  of  the  Law,  Worship. 


A  TyliBLE  OF  THE  CHIEF  THINGS. 


539 


Learning.  w1  at  true  learning  is, 
289,  290. 

Leiler,  the  letter  killeth,  quick- 
eneth  not,  240. 

Light,  the  innate  light  is  explained 
by  Cicero,  181. 

Light  of  JVature,  the  errors  of  the 
Socinians  and  Pelagians,  who  exalt 
this  light,  are  rejected,  97.  Saving 
Light ;  see  Redemption.  —  Is  uni- 
versal ;  it  is  in  all,  1.3 1 .  It  is  a  spi- 
ritual and  heavenly  principle,  1.36. 
It  is  a  substance,  not  an  accident, 
137,  138.  It  is  supernatural  and 
sufficient,  156,  161,  162.  It  is  the 
gospel  preached  in  every  creature, 
163.  It  is  the  word  nigh  in  the 
mouth  and  in  tire  heart,  l(i5,  166. 
It  is  the  ingrafted  word,  able  to  save 
the  soul,  170.  Testimonies  of  Au- 
gustine and  Buchanan  concerning 
this  light,  187,  188.  It  is  not  any 
part  of  nature,  or  relics  of  tlie  light 
remaining  in  Adam  after  the  fall, 
111.  It  is  distinguished  from  the 
conscience,  142,  143.  It  is  not  a 
common  gift,  as  the  heat  of  the 
fire,  and  outward  ligiii  of  the  sun, 
as  a  certiiin  preacher  said,  176. 
It  may  he  resisted,  132,  136,  145, 
249.  By  this  liglit  or  seed,  grace 
and  word  of  God,  he  invites  all,  and 
calls  them  to  salvation,  166,  1()7, 
168.  None  of  those  to  wliom  the 
history  of  Christ  is  preaclied  are 
saved,  but  by  the  inward  operation 
of  this  liglit,  16!)  to  175.  It  is 
small  in  the  first  manifestation,  but 
It  groweth,  170,  171.  It  is  slighted 
by  tiie  Calvin ists.  Papists,  Socinians, 
and  Arminians,  and  why,  171,  172. 
None  can  put  it  to  silence,  172. 
There  are  and  may  be  saved  by  the 
operation  thereof,  who  are  ignoran'; 
of  the  history  of  (;iuist,  110,  111, 
133,  139,  no,  168,  175  to  184. 
An  answer  to  the  objection,  Th:i'. 


none  can  be  saved  hut  in  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ,  178,  170. 

Lileralure,  human  literature  is  not 
at  all  needful,  290,  kc. 

Liturgy,  328,  348. 

Logic,'292,  293,  294. 

Lord,,  there  is  one  Lord,  46,  47. 

Love,  of  a  love-feast,  410,  442. 

Lutherans ;    see    Protestants.  — 
They  affu'm  consubstantiation,  63  ^ 
Of  the  flesh  and  blood  of  Christ, 
421.    They  use  unleavened  bread 
in  the  supper,  437. 

M. 

Magistrate,  concerning  his  power 
in  things  purely  religions,  and  that 
he  hath  no  authority  over  the  con- 
science, 450  to  473.  Nor  ought  he 
to  punish  according  to  church  cen- 
sure, 453,  454.  Concerning  the 
present  magistrates  of  the  Christian 
world,  524,  525. 

Mahomet  prohibited  all  discourse 
and  reasoning  about  religion,  469. 
He  was  an  impostor.  144. 

Majesty,  Your  Majesty;  see 
Titles. 

Man ;  see  Knowledge. — His  spi- 
rit knoweth  the  things  of  a  man., 
and  not  the  things  of  God,  38.  Th( 
carnal  man  esteemeih  the  gospel 
trutlis  as  lies,  39,  40.  And  in  tliat 
state  he  caimot  })leasc  God,  50.  The 
new  man  and  the  old,  71,  13ti.  The 
natural  man  cannot  discern  spiritual 
things ;  as  to  the  first  Adam,  he  is 
fallen  and  degenerate,  72,  97,  98. 
109.  His  thoughts  of  God  and  (h- 
vine  things  in  the  corrupt  state  are 
evil  and  unprofitable,  97.  Nothing 
of  Adam's  sin  is  imputed  to  liirn, 
until  by  evil-doing  he  connnit  his 
own,  99,  106,  107.  In  the  corrupt 
state  he  hath  no  will  or  liglit  capable 
of  itself  to  manifest  spiritual  things, 
99  to  105,  194.    He  cannot  wher 


540 


A  TABLE  OF  THE  CHIEF  THINGS. 


he  will  proem (  to  iiiinseif  tenaer- 
noss  of  liL'art,  11 4.  Whatsoever  he 
doth,  while  he  doth  it  not  by,  in, 
and  through  the  power  of  God,  he 
IS  not  approved  of  God,  344.  How 
the  inward  man  is  nourished,  416  to 
420.  How  his  understanding  can- 
not be  forced  by  sufferings,  and  how 
his  understanding  is  changed,  460, 
461 

Merchandise,  what  it  is  to  make 
merchandise  with  the  Scriptures, 
296. 

Mass,  323,  328,  347,  375. 

Mathematician,  69. 

Mechanics,  306,  307.  They  con- 
tributed much  to  the  reformation 
ibid. 

Merit ;  see  Justification. 

Metaphysics,  294. 

Minister  of  the  Gospel,  it  is  not 
found  in  scripture  if  any  be  called, 
79,  80,  280,  28 1 .  Teachers  are  not 
to  go  before  the  teaching  of  the 
Spirit,  88.  The  Popish  and  Pro- 
testant errors  concerning  the  grace 
of  a  minister  are  rejected,  97,  305, 
306.  They  are  given  for  the  per- 
fecting of  the  saints,  &.C.,  237.  Con- 
cerning their  call,  and  wherein  it 
is  placed,  256,  257,  264  to  280. 
qualities,  2.57,  281  to  298.  Orders 
and  distinction  of  laity  and  clergy, 
300  to  305.  Of  separating  men  for 
the  ministry,  ihid.  Concerning  the 
susteutation  and  maintenance  of  mi- 
nisters, and  their  abuse;  of  the  idle- 
ness, riot,  ami  cruelty  of  ministers, 
306  to  318.  What  kind  of  ministry 
and  ministers  the  Quakers  are  for, 
and  what  sort  their  adversaries  are 
for,  3 1  9  to  32 1 . 

Minister  nf  the  Law,  there  was 
no  doubtfulness  concerning  them 
under  the  law,  266.  Their  minis- 
try was  not  purely  .spiritual ,  and 
while  thfy  performed  it,  they  be- 
hoved   tf    be   purified   from  tlieir 


outward  pollutions,  as  now  tnnse 
under  the  gospel  from  their  inward 
265,  266,  288. 

Miracles,  whether  they  be  need- 
ful to  those  who  place  their  faith  in 
objective  revelation,  44,  279. 

Moses,  183,  349,  353,381,  415. 

Munster ;  see  Jlnabaptists^  their 
mischievous  actings,  60. 

Music,  379,  380. 

Mystery  of  iniquity,  300. 

Mystics,  354,  355. 

N. 

JVame  of  the  Lord,  402,  403. 
To  anoint  in  the  name  of  the  Lord. 
444. 

JVero,  459. 

JVba/t's  faith  had  neither  the  scrip- 
ture nor  the  prophecy  of  those  go- 
ing before  him,  43.  It  is  said  of 
him,  that  he  was  a  perfect  man, 
242. 

JVumber,  of  using  the  singular 
number  to  one  person,  486,  487. 

O. 

Oath,  that  it  is  not  lawful  to 
swear,  477,  501  to  514. 

Obedience  is  better  than  sacrifice, 
80. 

Object  of  faith ;  see  Faith. 
Oil,  to  anoint  with  oil,  413,  444, 
447. 

Ordinance,  sealing  ordinance,  384. 
P. 

Papists,  the  rule  of  their  faith 
62.  They  are  forced  ultimately  U 
recur  unto  the  immediate  and  in- 
ward revelations  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
70.  What  difference  there  is  be- 
twixt the  cursed  deeds  of  those  of 
Munster  and  theirs,  04  to  67.  Tliey 
have  taken  away  the  second  com- 
mandment in  their  catechism,  84. 
They  make  philosophy  the  hand- 
maid of  divinity,  89.    They  e\al> 


A  TABLE  OF  THE  CHIEF  THINGS. 


541 


lOO  much  tlie  natural  power,  and 
what  they  ihink  of  the  saving  light, 
171,  172.  Their  Joctrine  concern- 
ing justification  is  greatly  vitiated, 
189.  Concerning  their  manners  and 
ceremonies,  201,  262,  273,  271, 
277,  278.  Their  literature  and  stu- 
dies, 290.  Of  the  modern  apostles 
and  evangelists,  303,  304.  Whom 
they  exclude  from  the  ministry,  307. 
They  must  be  sure  of  so  much  a 
year  before  they  preach,  309.  They 
do  not  labour,  317.  The  more  mo- 
derate and  sober  of  them  e.xclaim 
against  the  excessive  revenues  of 
the  clergy,  313.  Their  worship  can 
easily  be  stopped,  347.  Albeit  they 
say.  None  are  saved  without  water 
baptism,  yet  they  allow  an  excep- 
tion, 391.  Of  baptism,  410,  411, 
412.  Of  the  flesh  and  blood  of 
Christ,  421,  422.    Of  an  oath,  503. 

Parable  of  the  talents,  ir)4,  162. 
Of  the  vineyard  intrusted,  152,  153. 
Of  the  sower,  161,  162,  165.  Of 
the  tares,  456. 

Paschal  Lnmh,  the  end  thereof, 
426. 

Patriarchs,  417,  425. 

Pelagians,  97,  98.  How  we  dif- 
fer from  them,  145,  411.  See  Light 
of  JVature. 

Pelagius  denied  that  man  gets  an 
evil  seed  from  Adam,  and  ascribes 
all  to  the  will  and  nature  of  men  : 
he  said,  that  man  could  attain  unto 
a  state  of  not  sinning  by  his  mere 
natural  strength,  without  the  grace 
of  God,  248. 

Persecution  upon  the  account  of 
religion,  465  to  471.  See  Magis- 
trate. 

Perseverance,  the  grace  of  God, 
may  be  lost  through  disobedience, 
229,  249,  252.  Yet  such  a  stability 
may  in  this  life  be  attained,  from 
which  there  cannot  be  a  total  apos- 
tasy, 253  to  256 


Peter,  whether  he  was  at  Rome, 
62.  He  was  ignorant  of  Aristotle's 
logic,  89.  There  were  of  old  di- 
vers opinions  concerning  his  second 
epistle,  75. 

Pharisees,  382,  43 1 . 

Philosopher,  the  heathen  philo- 
soplier  was  brought  to  tlie  Christian 
faith  by  an  illiterate  rustic,  293. 

Philosophy,  282,  29 1. 

Physics,  294. 

Plays,  whether  it  be  lawful  to 
use  them,  474,  477,  496  to  501, 
526. 

Polycarjms,  the  disciple  of  John, 
62. 

Pray,  to  pray  for  remission  of 
sins,  247.  Concerning  the  Lord's 
Prayer,  340.  To  pray  without  the 
Spirit  is  to  offend  God,  345,  499. 
Concerning  the  prayer  of  the  will  in 
silence,  354.    See  Worship. 

Prayer,  the  prayers  of  the  people 
were  in  the  Latin  tongue,  291. 

Preacher ;  see  Minister. 

Preaching,  what  is  termed  the 
preaching  of  the  word,  297,  305, 
325,  326.  To  preach  witliout  the 
Spirit  is  to  offend  God,  345.  See 
Worship.  It  is  a  permanent  institu- 
tion, 399.  It  is  learned  as  another 
trade,  305. 

Predestinated,  God  hath  after  a 
special  manner  predestinated  some 
to  salvation  ;  of  whom,  if  the  places 
of  scripture  which  some  abuse  be 
understood,  their  objections  are  easi- 
ly solved,  149. 

Priest,  under  the  law  God  spake 
immediately  to  the  high  priest,  41, 
58. 

Priests  ;  see  Minister  of  the  Law^ 
263,  264,  266,  268,  288,  326. 

Profession,  an  outward  profession 
is  necessary  that  any  be  a  membei 
of  a  particular  Christian  church 
230. 

Prophecy,  and  to  prophesy,  wha 


542 


A  TABLE  OF  THE  CHIEF  THINGS. 


it  signifies  302  303.  Of  the  lil)erty  ; 
of  piophes\  ing',  Uiid. 

Prophc/s,  soiiit;  proj)liets  did  not 
miiarles,  271). 

Prnlestanis,  the  nde  of  their  faith, 
62.  Tliey  are  forced  ultimately  to 
recur  unto  the  immediate  and  in- 
ward revelation  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
71.  What  dillerence  betwixt  the 
execrable  deeds  of  those  of  Munster 
nnd  tlieirs,  64  to  67.  They  make 
philosophy  the  handmaid  of  divinity, 
89.  They  affirm  .John  Has  pro- 
phesied of  the  reformation  that  was 
to  be,  96.  Wliether  they  did  not 
throw  themselves  into  many  errors 
while  they  were  expecting  a  greater 
light,  130.  Tliey  opposed  the  Pa- 
pists not  without  good  cause,  in 
the  doctrine  of  justification;  but 
the)'  soon  ran  into  another  extreme, 
192,  193.  They  say,  that  the  best 
works  of  tlie  saints  are  defiled,  198. 
Whether  there  be  any  difl"erence  be- 
tween them  and  the  Papists  in  su- 
perstitions and  manners,  and  what 
it  is,  262,  263,  277,  278.  What 
they  think  of  the  call  of  a  minister, 
266  to  272,  277  to  281.  It  is  la- 
mentable that  they  betake  them  to 
Judas  for  a  pattern  to  their  ministers 
and  ministry,  289.  Their  zeal  and 
endeavours  are  praised,  291.  Of 
their  school-divinity,  294,  295.  Of 
the  apostles  and  evangelists  of  this 
time,  303,  304.  Whom  they  ex- 
clude from  tiie  ministry,  305.  That 
they  preach  to  none,  until  they  be 
first  sure  of  so  nuich  a  year,  309. 
The  more  moderate  of  them  exclaim 
agamst  the  excessive  revenues  of 
the  clergy,  3 1 3.  Though  they  had 
forsaken  tlie  bishop  of  Rome,  yet 
they  would  m.i  part  with  old  bene- 
fices, 315,  316.  They  will  not  la- 
bour, 317.  Whether  they  have 
made  a  perfect  niformation  in  wor- 
sthip,  323,  321.    Their  worship  can 


easily  be  stopped,  348.  The}'  liav( 
given  great  scandal  to  the  reforma- 
tion, 375.  They  deny  water  bap- 
tism to  be  absolutely  necessary  to 
salvation,  391.  Of  water  baptism, 
409  to  411.  Of  the  flesh  and  blood 
of  Christ,  419  to  422.  They  use 
not  washing  of  feet,  435.  How  they 
did  vindicate  liberty  of  conscience, 
462.  Some  affirm,  that  wicked  kings 
and  magistrates  ought  to  be  deposed, 
yea,  killed,  464.  How  they  meet, 
wlien  they  have  not  the  consent  of 
the  magistrate,  471.  Of  oaths  and 
swearing,  503,  504. 

Psalms,  singing  of  psalms,  378. 

Q- 

Quakers,  i.  e.  Tremblers,  and 
why  so  called,  175,335,336.  They 
are  not  contemners  of  the  scriptures, 
and  what  they  think  of  them,  72, 73. 
76,  77,  86  to  89.  Nor  of  reason, 
and  what  they  think  of  it,  142,  143 
They  do  not  say,  that  all  otiier  se 
condary  means  of  knowledge  are  of 
no  service,  35.  They  do  not  com 
pare  themselves  to  Jesus  Christ,  as 
they  are  falsely  accused,  137.  Nor 
do  they  deny  those  things  that  are 
written  in  the  holy  scriptures  con- 
cerning Christ,  his  conception,  &c., 
137,  205,  206.  They  were  raised 
up  of  God  to  show  forth  the  truth, 
130,  131,  173,  186,  187,  297,  298, 
336.  Their  doctrine  of  justification 
is  not  popish,  189,  197,  217,218, 
227.  They  are  not  against  medita- 
tion, 344.  Their  worship  cannot  be 
interrupted,  347.  And  what  they 
have  suffered,  347  to  350.  How 
they  vindicate  liberty  of  conscience, 
470.  They  do  not  persecute  others, 
473.  Their  adversaries  confess,  that 
they  are  found  for  tlie  most  part  free 
from  the  abominations  which  abound 
among  others ;  yet  they  count  tliosa 
things  vices  in  tiiem,  which  m  Iheiii- 


A  TABLE  OF  THE  CHIEF  THINGS. 


543 


se(ves  they  extol  as  notable  virtues, 
and  make  more  noise  aliout  tlie 
es(.ape  of  one  Quaker,  than  of  an 
hundred  among  themselves,  47G. 
They  destroy  not  the  mutual  rela- 
tion that  is  betwixt  prince  and  peo- 
ple, master  and  servant,  father  and 
son,  nor  do  they  introduce  com- 
munity of  goods,  477.  Nor  say  that 
one  man  may  not  use  the  creation 
more  or  less  than  another,  478. 

R. 

Ranters,  the  blasphemy  of  the 
Ranters  or  Libertines,  saying,  that 
there  is  no  difference  betwixt  good 
and  evil,  239. 

Reason,  what  need  we  set  up  cor- 
rupt reason,  54.  Concerning  reason, 
S3,  64,  142,  143. 

Rebecca,  335. 

Reconciliation,  how  reconciliation 
with  God  is  made,  199  to  206. 

Recreations ;  see  Plays. 

Redemption  is  considered  in  a 
twofold  respect;  first,  performed  by 
Christ  without  us;  and  secondly, 
wrought  in  us,  195,  196,  197.  It 
is  universal :  God  gave  iiis  only  be- 
gotten Son  Jesus  Christ  for  a  light, 
that  whosoever  believeth  in  him 
may  be  saved,  109,  110,  156,  157.  j 
The  benefit  of  his  death  is  no  less  1 
universal  than  the  seed  of  sin,  110, 
111.  There  is  scarce  found  any 
article  of  the  Christian  religion  that 
is  so  expressly  confirmed  in  the  holy 
scriptures,  118  to  125.  This  doc- j 
trine  was  preached  by  the  fathers  (so 
called)  of  the  first  six  hundred  years,  ' 
and  is  proved  by  the  sayings  of 
some,  125,  126,  127.  Those  that 
since  the  time  of  the  reformation 
have  aflinned  it,  have  not  given  a 
clear  testimony  how  that  benefit  is 
communicated  to  all,  nor  have  sufli- 
cienlly  taught  the  truth,  because 
ihey  have  added  the  absolute  ne- 


cessity of  the  outward  knowledge 
of  the  history  of  Christ;  yea,  itiey 
have  thereby  given  tlie  contrary 
party  a  stronger  argument  to  defend 
their  precise  decree  of  reprobation, 
among  whom  were  the  Kemonstraiils 
of  Holland,  112,  127,  128,  l  >\). 
God  hath  now  raised  up  a  few  illi- 
terate men  to  be  dispensers  of  this 
truth,  130,  131,  174,  175.  This 
doctrine  showeth  forth  tlie  mercy 
and  justice  of  God,  132,  148,  149. 
It  is  the  foundation  of  salvation,  1 32. 
It  answers  to  the  whole  tenor  of  the 
gospel  promises  and  threats,  ibid. 
It  magnifies  and  commends  the  me- 
rits and  death  of  Christ,  ibid.  It 
exalts  above  all  the  grace  of  God, 
ibid.  It  overturns  the  false  doctrine 
of  the  Pelagians,  Semi-Pelagians,  and 
others,  who  exalt  the  light  of  na- 
ture, and  the  freedom  of  man's  will, 
ibid.  It  makes  the  salvation  of  man 
solely  to  depend  upon  God,  and  his 
condemnation  wholly  and  in  every 
respect  to  be  of  himself,  132,  133. 
It  takes  away  all  ground  of  despair, 
and  feeds  none  in  security,  133.  It 
commends  the  Christian  religion 
among  infidels,  ibid.  It  showeth 
the  wisdom  of  God,  ibid.  And  it  is 
established,  though  not  in  words, 
yet  by  deeds,  even  by  those  minis- 
ters that  oppose  this  doctrine,  133, 
134.  It  derogates  not  from  the 
atonement  and  sacrifice  of  Jesus 
Christ,  but  doth  magnify  and  exalt 
it,  139.  There  is  given  to  every  one 
(none  excepted)  a  certain  day  and 
time  of  visitation,  in  which  it  is  pos- 
sible for  them  to  be  saved,  131,  149 
to  156.  The  testimony  of  Cyrillus 
concerning  this  thing,  155.  It  is 
explained  what  is  understood  and 
not  understood  by  tliis  day,  135. 
To  some  it  may  be  longer,  to  others 
shorter,  ibid.  Many  may  outlive 
their  day  of  visitation,  after  which 


544 


A  TABL6  OK  THE  CHIEF  THINGS. 


there  is  no  possibility  of  salvation 
to  them,  ibid.  Some  examples  are 
alleged,  ibid.  The  objections,  and 
those  places  of  scripture  which  otliers 
abuse,  to  prove  that  God  incites  men 
necessarily  to  sin,  are  easily  solved, 
if  they  be  applied  to  these  men,  after 
the  time  of  tlieir  visitation  is  past, 
135,  149.  There  is  given  to  every 
one  a  measure  of  the  light,  seed, 
grace,  and  word  of  God,  whereby 
they  can  be  saved,  131,  132,  149, 
1.50,  161  to  169.  Which  is  also 
confirmed  by  the  testimonies  of  Cy- 
rillus  and  others,  1 59  to  1 68.  What 
that  light  is;  see  Light.  —  Many, 
though  ignorant  of  the  outward  his- 
tory, yet  have  been  sensible  of  the 
loss  that  came  by  Adam,  whicli  is 
confirmed  by  the  testimonies  of 
Plato  and  others,  184,  185.  Many 
have  known  Christ  within,  as  a  re- 
medy to  redeem  them,  though  not 
under  that  denomination,  witness 
Seneca,  Cicero,  and  others,  184,  185, 
186.  Yet  all  are  obliged  to  believe 
the  outward  history  of  Christ  to 
whom  God  bringeth  the  knowledge 
of  it,  139,  140. 

Reformalion^  wherein  it  is  not 
placed,  267.  Mechanic  men  have 
contributed  much  to  it,  307.  What 
hath  been  pernicious  to  it,  423. 

Relation ;  see  Quakers. 

Religion.,  the  Cliristian  religion ; 
see  Christianity.  —  How  it  is  made 
odious  to  Jews,  Turks,  and  Heathen, 
421. 

Remonstrants  of  Holland ;  see 
Jlrminians,  Redemption. — They  de- 
ly  absolute  reprobation,  63.  How 
we  differ  from  them,  145,  146.  They 
exalt  too  inucli  the  natural  power 
and  free  will  of  man,  and  what  they 
think  of  the  saving  light,  171,  172. 
Their  worship  can  easily  be  stopped, 
S48. 

Reprobaticn ;  ace  also  Redemp- 


tion.— What  absolute  reprobation  is, 
is  described,  112.  Its  doctrine  if 
horrible,  impious,  and  blasphemous 
1 12  to  1 17.  It  is  also  so  called  bj 
Lucas  Osiander,  128.  It  is  a  new 
doctrine,  and  Augustine  laid  the  f\rs[ 
foundation  thereof,  which  Domini- 
cus,  Calvin,  and  the  Synod  of  Dor* 
maintained,  113,  127,  128.  Also 
Luther,  whom  notwitiistanding  Lu- 
therans afterwards  deserted,  ibid,  it 
is  injurious  to  God,  and  makes  him 
the  author  of  sin ;  proved  by  the 
sayings  of  Calvin,  Beza,  Zanchius, 
Paraeus,  Martyr,  Zuinglius,  and  Pis- 
cator,  114.  It  makes  the  preaching 
of  the  gospel  a  mere  mock  and  illu- 
sion, 116.  It  makes  the  coming  of 
Christ  and  his  propitiatory  sacrifice 
to  have  been  a  testimony  of  God's 
wrath,  ibid.  It  is  injurious  to  man- 
kind, and  makes  his  condition  worse 
than  the  condition  of  devils,  beasts, 
Jews  under  Pharaoh,  and  the  same 
which  the  poets  applied  to  Tantalus, 
117. 

Revelation,  God  always  manifest- 
ed himself  by  the  revelations  of  the 
Spirit,  13,  38,  39,  68.  They  are 
made  several  ways,  13.  They  have 
been  always  the  formal  object  of 
faith,  and  so  remain,  13,41  to  56. 
And  that  not  only  subjectively,  but 
also  objectively,  56,  57.  They  are 
simply  necessary  imto  true  faith,  14, 
28,  61,70.  They  are  not  uncertain. 
59,  60,  61.  Yea,  it  is  horrible  sa- 
crilege to  accuse  them  of  uncertain- 
ty, 52,  53.  The  examples  of  the 
Anabaptists  of  Munster  do  not  a  whit 
weaken  this  doctrine,  60,  61,  64,  65, 

67.  They  can  never  contradict  the 
holy  scripture,  nor  sound  reason,  14, 

68,  89,  90.  They  are  evident  and 
clear  of  themselves,  nor  need  they 
another's  testimony,  13,  68,  69. 
They  are  the  only,  sure,  certain, 
and   unmovable  foundation  of  sus 


A  TABLE  OF  TR 


E  CHIEF  THINGS. 


545 


Christian  faith.  70.  Carnal  Chris- 
tians judge  them  nothing  necessary; 
yea,  they  are  hissed  out  by  the  most 
part  of  men,  29.  Of  old  none  were 
esteemed  Christians  save  those  that 
had  the  Spirit  of  Christ ;  but  now-a- 
days  he  is  termed  an  heretic  who 
affirms  that  he  is  led  by  it,  52,  53. 
The  testimonies  of  some  concerning 
the  necessity  of  these  revelations, 
30  to  33,  52,  53.  By  whose  and 
what  devices  they  have  been  brought 
out  of  use,  130. 

Revenge;  see  War,  514,  515, 
516. 

Rule  of  faith  and  manners;  see 
Scripture. 

Rustic,  the  poor  rustic's  answer 
given  to  the  proud  prelate,  276. 
He  brought  a  philosopher  unto  the 
Christian  faith,  293. 

S. 

Sabbath,  327. 

Sacraments,  of  their  number,  na- 
ture, &c.,  how  much  contention 
there  hath  been,  and  that  the  word 
sacrament  is  not  found  in  scripture, 
but  borrowed  from  the  heathen, 
382,  383,  411.  Its  definition  will 
agree  to  many  other  things,  383, 
384.  Whether  they  confer  grace, 
447. 

Salvation,  without  the  church 
there  is  no  salvation,  258. 

Samaria,  the  woman  of  Samaria, 
427. 

Sanctification ;  see  Justification. 

Sasony,  the  elector  of  Saxony, 
of  the  scandal  he  gave  to  the  Re- 
formation, by  being  present  at  the 
mass,  375. 

Sceptic,  292. 

School,  without  the  school  of 
Christ  nothing  is  learned  but  mere 
talk,  and  a  shadow  of  knowledge, 
30  to  33.  Whether  public  schools 
be  necessary  291. 
46  • 


Scriptures  of  truth,  wlitnce  they 
proceeded,  and  what  they  contain, 
72,  73,  74.  They  are  a  declaration 
of  the  fountain,  and  not  the  fountain 
itself,  73.  They  are  not  to  be  es- 
teemed the  adequate  primary  rule 
of  faith  and  manners,  but  a  second- 
ary, and  subordinate  to  the  Spirit, 
and  why,  73  to  97,  280.  Their 
certainty  is  only  known  by  the  Spi- 
rit, 73,  74,  260.  They  testify  that 
the  Spirit  is  given  to  the  saints  for 
a  guide,  73,  85,  86,  90  to  96.  Their 
authority  depends  not  upon  the 
church,  or  council,  nor  upon  their 
intrinsic  virtue,  but  upon  the  Spirit ; 
nor  is  it  subjected  to  the  corrupt 
reason  of  men,  but  to  the  Spirit,  73, 
88.  The  testimonies  of  Calvin,  the 
French  churches,  the  Synod  of  Dort, 
and  the  divines  of  Great  Britain  at 
Westminster  concerning  this  thing 
74,  75.  The  contentions  of  those 
that  seek  the  certainty  of  the  scrip- 
tures from  something  else  than  the 
Spirit,  ibid.  Divers  opinions  of  the 
fathers  (so  called)  concerning  some 
books,  ihid.  Concerning  the  tak- 
ing away,  and  the  corruption  of 
some  places ;  the  translation,  tran- 
scription, and  various  lections  of 
the  Hebrew  character,  and  of  the 
Greek  books,  the  interpretation  of 
the  Septuagint,  concerning  the  He- 
bre  '  books,  and  of  admitting  or  re- 
ject!, ig  some  books,  8i,  85,  86.  Of 
the  vhfficulty  in  their  explanation, 
88,  8^),  90.  Augustine's  judgment 
concerning  the  authors  of  the  ca- 
nonical books,  and  couceruing  tlie 
transcription  and  interpretation,  86. 
The  use  of  them  is  very  profitable 
and  comfortable,  76,  88.  The  un- 
learned and  unstable  abuse  them 
88.  There  is  no  necessity  of  be- 
lieving the  scripture  to  be  a  fiiled- 
up  canon,  94,  95.  Many  canonic 
books,  through  the  injury  of  time 
3t 


546 


A  TABLE  OK  TH 


E  CHIEF  THINGS. 


lost,  ihid.  Whether  it  can  be  proved 
by  scripture  that  any  book  is  ca- 
nonical, 94,  95,  90.  They  were 
some  time  as  a  sealed  book,  291. 
To  understand  them  there  is  need 
of  the  help  and  revelation  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  30  to  3.3.  No  man  can 
make  himself  a  doctor  of  them,  but 
the  Holy  Spirit,  ibid. 

Sect,  the  Ignatian  sect  loveth 
literature,  291.  They  call  those 
that  are  sent  unto  India  apostles, 
304. 

Seed  of  righteousness,  343.  The 
seed  of  sin ;  see  Sin,  Redemption. 

Self-denial,  342. 

Semi-Pelagians,  their  axiom,  Fa- 
cienti  quod  in  se  est,  Deus  non  de- 
negat  gratiam,  127. 

Servant,  whether  it  be  lawful  to 
say,  I  am  your  humble  servant, 
485. 

Servetus,  468. 

Shoemaker,  he  disputes  with  the 
professor,  292. 

Silence ;  see  Worship. 

Simon  Magus,  310. 

Sin  ;  see  Jldain,  Justification.  — 
It  shall  not  have  dominion  over  the 
saints,  78.  The  seed  of  sin  is  trans- 
mitted from  Adam  unto  all  men,  but 
it  is  imputed  to  imne,  no  not  to  in- 
fants, except  they  actually  join  with 
it  by  sinning,  97,  98,  105  to  108. 
.^nd  this  seed  is  often  called  death, 
109.  Original  sin;  of  this  phrase 
the  scripture  makes  no  mention, 
ibid.  By  virtue  of  the  sacrifice  of 
Christ  we  liave  remission  of  sins, 
139,  194,  19").  Forgiveness  of  sin 
among  the  Papists,  190,  191.  A 
freedom  from  actual  sin  is  obtained, 
both  when  and  how,  and  tliat  many 
have  attained  unto  it,  229  to  249. 
Every  sin  weakens  a  man  in  his 
spiritual  coiidilion,  but  doth  not  de- 
stroy him  altogether,  231.  It  is  one 
thing  not  to  sin,  another  thing  not 


to  have  sin,  243,  244.  What%oevet 
is  not  done  through  the  power  of 
God  is  sin,  344,  345. 

Singing  of  Psalms,  378. 

Socinians ;  see  JVatural  Light, 
—  Their  rashness  is  reproved,  49. 
They  think  reason  is  the  chief  rule 
and  guide  of  faith,  49,  62.  Albeit 
many  have  abused  reason,  yet  they 
do  not  say,  tliat  any  ought  to  use 
it;  and  how  ill  they  argue  against 
the  inward  and  immediate  revela- 
tions of  the  Holy  Spirit,  60  to  64. 
Yet  they  are  forced  ultimately  to 
recur  unto  them,  70.  They  exalt 
too  much  their  natural  power,  and 
what  they  think  of  the  Saving  Light. 
171,  172.  Their  worship  can  easil) 
be  stopped,  348. 

Son  of  God ;  see  Christ,  Know- 
ledge, Revelation. 

Soul,  the  soul  hath  its  senses,  as 
well  as  the  body,  33.  By  what  il 
is  strengthened  and  fed,  344,  424. 

Spirit^  the  Holy  Spirit;  see 
Knoinledge,  Communion,  Revela- 
tion, Scriptures.  —  Unless  the  Spirit 
sit  upon  the  heart  of  the  hearer,  in 
vain  is  the  discourse  of  the  doctor, 
32,  44,  45.  The  Spirit  of  God 
knoweth  the  things  of  God,  38. 
Without  the  Spirit  none  can  say 
that  Jesus  is  the  Lord,  32,  38,  39. 
He  rested  upon  the  seventy  elders 
and  others,  41.  He  abideth  witli 
us  for  ever,  46,  47.  He  teacheth 
and  bringeth  all  things  to  remem- 
brance, and  leads  into  all  truth,  48, 

49,  54,  55,  56,  72,  73,  74.  He 
differs  from  the  scriptures,  48,  49 
He  is  God,  ibid.  He  dwelleth  in 
the  saints,  49  to  55.  Without  the 
Spirit,  Christianity  is  no  Christianity 

50,  62,  75.  Whatsoever  is  to  bt 
desired  in  the  Christian  faith,  is 
ascribed  to  him,  50,  51.  By  this 
Spirit  we  are  turned  unto  God,  and 
we  triumph  in  the  midst  of  persecu- 


A  TABI.K  OF  THE  CHIEF  THINGS. 


Ml 


li^ns,  51.  He  quickens,  &.c..  51. 
An  observable  testimony  o:'  Calvin 
concerning  the  Spirit,  52,  53,  74. 
t  is  the  fountain  and  origin  of  all 
truth  and  right  reason,  68.  It  gives 
the  belief  of  the  scriptures,  which 
may  satisfy  our  consciences,  74,  75. 
His  testimony  is  more  excellent  than 
all  reason,  74.  He  is  the  <",hief  and 
principal  guide,  83.  He  reasoneth 
with  and  striveth  in  men,  150. 
Those  that  are  led  by  the  Spirit 
love  the  scriptures,  87,  260.  He  is 
as  it  were  the  soul  of  the  church, 
and  what  is  done  without  him  is 
vain  and  impious,  286.  He  is  the 
Spirit  of  order,  and  not  of  disorder, 
299.  Such  as  the  Spirit  sets  apart 
to  the  ministry  are  heard  of  the 
brethren,  300.  ft  is  the  earnest  of 
our  inheritance,  83. 

Spiritual  iniquities,  338.  Spirit- 
ual discerning,  456,  457. 

Stephen  spake  by  the  Spirit,  51. 

Suffering,  how  Paul  filled  up  that 
which  was  behind  of  the  afflictions 
of  Christ;  how  any  are  made  par- 
takers of  the  sufferings  of  Ch'L<i, 
and  conformable  to  his  death,  24 1 . 

Superstition,  322,  323.  Whence 
superstitions  sprung,  339,  381,  382, 
411. 

Supper ;  see  Communion,  Bread. 
— It  was  of  old  administered  even  to 
little  children  and  infants,  448. 

T. 

Tables,  439. 

Talents,  one  talent  is  not  at  all 
meufficient  of  itself ;  the  parable  of 
the  talents,  151,  162.  Those  that 
improved  their  talents  well  are  call- 
ed good  and  faitliful  servants,  219. 
He  that  improved  well  his  two  ta- 
lents, was  nothing  less  accepted  than 
he  that  improved  his  five,  231. 

Talk ;  see  Plays. 


Ttnilerus  was  instructed  by  the 
poor  laic,  282.  He  tasted  of  the 
love  of  God,  328. 

Testimony ;  see  Spirit. 

Tlipseush  boat,  306. 

Thomas  d  Kempis,  328 

Tithes  were  assigned  to  the  L©« 
vites,  but  not  to  the  ministeis  of  tliii 
day,  309. 

Titles,  it  is  not  at  all  lawful  for 
Christians  to  use  those  tides  of 
honour,  majesty,  &.C.,  476,  480  to 
489. 

Tongue,  the  knowledge  of  tongues 
is  laudable,  290,  291. 

Tradition,  how  insufficient  it  is 
to  decide,  62,  63.  It  is  not  a  suffi- 
cient ground  for  faith,  448. 

Translations ;  see  Bible. 

Truth,  there  is  a  difl^rence  be- 
twixt what  one  saith  of  the  truth, 
and  that  which  the  truth  itself,  in- 
terpreting itself,  saith,  3 1 .  Truth  is 
not  hard  to  be  arrived  at,  but  is  most 
nigh,  31. 

Turks,  among  them  there  may  be 
members  of  the  church,  259. 

V. 

Vespers,  328. 

Voices,  outward  voices ;  see  Faith, 
Miracles. 

W. 

War,  that  it  is  not  lawful  for 

Christians  to  resist  evil,  nor  wage 
war,  477,  514  to  525. 

Washing  offset,  433,  434,  435. 

William  Barclay,  464. 

Woman,  a  woman  may  preacli, 
301,  307,  308.    Luther  also,  268. 

Word,  the  Eternal  Word  is  the 
Son :  it  was  in  the  begiiming  with 
God,  and  was  God :  it  is  Jesut. 
Christ,  by  whom  God  created  all 
things,  36,  137.  What  Augustin* 
read  in  the  writings  of  the  Platonia 
concerning  this  Word,  186. 


548 


A  TABLE  OF  THE  CHTF.J'  THINGS. 


Works  are  either  of  tlie  law,  or 
of  the  gospel,  220  \  see  Juslificalion. 

Worship,  what  the  true  and  ac- 
ceptable worship  to  God  is,  and 
how  it  is  offered,  and  what  the  su- 
perstitious and  abominable  is,  321, 
&c.  The  true  worship  was  soon 
corrupted  and  lost,  323.  Concern- 
ing the  worship  done  in  the  time  of 
the  apostasy,  328,  368.  Of  what 
worship  is  here  handled,  and  of  the 
diflerence  of  the  worship  of  the  old 
and  new  covenant,  324,  325,  350, 
351,  352.    The  true  worship  is 


neither  limited  to  times,  places,  noi 
])ersons,  and  it  is  explained  how  this 
is  to  be  understood,  325,  326,  356, 
357,  3.^)8,  366,  367,  368,  396,  397. 
Concerning  the  Lord's  day,  and  the 
days  upon  which  worship  is  per- 
formed, 327.  Of  the  public  and 
silent  worship,  and  its  excellency, 
329  to  359.  Of  preaching,  359  to 
365.  Of  prayer,  365  to  378.  Ol 
singing  of  psalms  and  music,  378, 
379.  What  sort  (^t  worship  the 
Quakers  are  for,  mC  what  sort  then 
adversaries,  380. 


THE  ENT. 


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DATE  DUE 


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